A l l One Wicca A Study in The Universal Eclectic Tradition of Wicca (Revised tind Expanded)
Kaatn/n MacMorgan
Writers Club Press San Jose N e w Yori: L i n c o l n Shanghai
A l l One Wicca 4 Study in The Universal Ecleclic Tradition o l Wicca (Revised and E * p , i n d e d l A l l Rights Reserved © 2001 by Knatryn M n c M o r g a n PJu part of thlfl book may bo reproduced or transmitted In any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, o r mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping. Or by any inforrn.blinn storage retrieved system, without tlie permission i n writing from the plibliEher.
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For Apollo. Phoenix, Loga", the nwndcrfitl people ai belief'iel.iom Ti'fju kaoio rut us "Yiiitdsm%er" tirtd ilw members of Cot-en of the Fur Flung Net. H r who shows loin- is blessed.
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Foreword
A l l One Wicca into the
century
All One Wiicn began Ha journey in 1993. tlie work of a novice priestess i n a religion that was just beginning io calch on w i t h ihe public. W h e n it was first miirketfcd to publishers, m a n y of them had never even heard of Wicca. Respected publishers ıha t h a v * since published grand works on Wicca senl lovely letters of rejection, slating flatly lhat Ihe religion was too obscure to attract any readers, or that the book would be belter published by a specially house- Specially houses called i l too specific or too sdlolarly, or argued lhat tile author's first page con tention. "This is not N e w A g e , " rendered II impossible to publish by their iiTftii n i /rttion. i n January of 2001, AllOne Wicca, now available In a free, online edi tion, began its sixth year as one of the m i t t read unpublished manu scripts in existence, garnering a respeelabli: f l l new hits a day a l its websile, hltp://bool;.cuew-org- Browsers were encouraged to report typos, dispute information, and share thedr opinions. A s 11 result, Ihe editorial staff of A l l One Wicca numbers in the thousands. This revised and expanded edition of A l l One Wicca was Specially prepared for the on-demand and epublishing market, and includes almost 50 pages of content n o l available at the website. Fans of the free edition w i l l find tile quality and depth uf information the website offers maintained in this format, with clarification and more in-depth
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detail o£ some o l the subjects glossed Over i n the original w i n k and new Issues not previously discussed.
Introduction W h a t is W k c a ?
Wlcca is a religion based on the indigenous beliefs of the ancient penpies of Europe. L i k e all religions, W k c a i s a sel of mores and a relationship with the Divine- Ti d i d not develop in a straight line from indigenous beliefs, but rather has a long, tangled history w i l h routs in the British spiritualist movements o l the Late nineleenth century. It ÜIVEÜ; LtA lineage Eo Thelema, Theosiipliy. Buddhism, Egyptology, Greek and Roman mythology. Celtic romanticism a n d fiction and fact about the pre-Christian world of EUfOpC Wicrfl is not the m o d e m praetiee of the ancient religion of one group of people, instead, it combines portions of many different religious beliefs from many different European tribes with many o l the rational ideas that have evolved in Ihe past two hundred years Despite its ancient mots, Wieca is a m o d e m creation, a religion of an information culture, requiring that its members be gifted with the skill of telling myth from history flnd fact from metaphor. Many Wiccans speak in myth and i n metaphor of the roots o l their rc-ligiun, fostering the concept of a mystery faith. The dedlcant. the initiate a n d the scholar k n o w Wioca to be modern, while acknowledging Ihe power and appeal of the stories claiming it as Ihe oldest faith k n o w n to man. WjCCa is new, hut not " N e w A g e " . While many Winvans pmcEice the arts o l the N e w Age movement, like tarot and crystallomancy. Wicca 1
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itself is neither N e w A g e nor an a r t Many Wiccans also practice medicine, football and ceremonial magick. The presence of Wiccans ID these fields does not magically elevate Wieca In the status nf medical science, sport, or metaphysical system, It is only Wiccan praclioners of N e w Age arts that are " M e w A g e r s , " the rest of tisare students, mothers, scholars, authors and a thousands of other epithets we pick op by living life as best w e can. The mythical ' N e w A g e ' of fund a mental list fret, where militant lesbian vegans rule over enslaved men or Crowley-esq Lie sorcerers work through role-playing games to get inside children's minds, does not e*Lst. It was made up to frighten people, but frightening is harming, and Wiccans strive to harm none- We have no h i d d e n agendas, no schemes, no Secret societies and no passwords... our secrets are open for all who have eyes to see. We are normal citizens, your children, parents, neighbors, teachers Find friends, no more or less- evil nr scheming than anyone. .. maybe even a little nicer, alitde saner a little more polite. 1 k n o w there are a few misguided Wiccan souis out Ihere w i l h delusions of grandeur or w h o are in serious need of altitude adjustments, I've encountered them myself, b u l personal!ly and insanity transcend religion, because, as the sages say, "there's one in every bunch." The vast majority of us are not stereotypes or H o l l y w o o d images, but normal people w h o follow a minority religion- A t times, we must be loud and shout about our rights, disruptive w h e n they are trampled, aggressive w h e n Ihey are threatened, but for the mosl part w e are a peaceful people. A s our faith has g r o w n we've had problems w i t h people refusing to allow us our basic rights as a religion. Tn North Carolina, when a young Wiccan's family asked for balance i n a secular, public school's choral concert in which six of the nine songs were devoutly Christian, that Wiccan and her parents were heckled a n d taunted by the so-called "adults" of their community until the g i r i fled in tears. In Florida, a man w h o has asked for years for an end to Christian-exclusive Prayers at school meetings was " w h a c k e d " o n the head by a clipboard by a Christian school hoard member as he was ejected from a meeting-
Stud.en.lfi in h i g h sctumls and colleges wuaring pentatles, tule of the symbols of our faith, have been suspended lor wearing them In schools where sludents wear crosses and M a g e n David freely. Senator Bob Barr attempted (and thankfully failed] to limit the ability of Wiccans lo practice their faith on military bases. Wiccan gatherings cm private property have 01.1:11 disrupted by ignorant groups of people representing dangerous offshoots of Christianity, and Wiccans have been shot at, threatened and) generally harassed by these people. Perhaps in this Pseudn-Christianity's worst attack o n us. a 33 year old Wiocan girl in Detroit, supported wholeheartedly in her faith at home, was attacked daily by a mob of toughs chanting Christian hymns and lelling her she was going to hell, put an end lo her life to make diem stop when her family was ineffective at p u tting an end lo i l and school officials turned their back on her. A l the same time, some Wirrans have CTealed problems for themselves. Being Wiccan does not, for example, allow y o u to wander around nude on public properties where it is prohibited, or carry knives in prison. Being Wiccan diies not mean that you may wear your pentode jewelry in schools in which no jewelry at all is allowed, or that you can practice despite your parent's objections or behind their backs. Wicca itself is not an excuse to be a jerk, or to attack Christians for their beliefs, no matter what the nlhpr Christians have done l o y o u Wicca, as a religion, is not racist, religioee.nlric or abusive. There are Wiccans w h o are. however, just as every faith has Ihose that the Irue members of that faith can only wish w o u l d go away. I've attempted to include most of the shaded beliefs of Wiccans here for you to see. Thai's ¡1. N o secrets. O b v i o u s l y 1 haven't included in depth detail about every ritual...that's Insane, I couldn't create a disk or book large enough to fill w i t h everything about Wicca. These sins of omission are not attempts lo hide or misedueate, just factors of a l i m ited medium. Like the Abrahamic religions and other world faiths, Wicca is a religion that Is d i v i d e d into sects. Just as the sects w i t h i n the Abrahamic paradigm range from vastly differing broad groupings {i.e.: Jewish,
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M u s l i m , Catholic, ProtestartI) lu the i n d i v i d u a l or small seCls of various temples and churches (Hassidim, S u f i , Wesleyan. Seventh-Day Advenlisfs, Southern Baptist, elc.), the seels of Wirca, called "tradit i o n s ' " {01 "trads") arc diverse. A tradition usually includes family and personal beliels, passed d o w n through the years, or the beliefs and values of a group of people. Most Wiccan traditions fall Into o n * of five categories, although borrowing between trads is fairly typicalThese categories are Gardnerian based, Dianic based, Eclectic, Keconstructlonisl and ham-Trad, the shorthand name for "family-traditions" practices lhal date back over several generations of a rflnuJy. Cardnerian traditions and those traditions w h i c h have sprung nut of Gardnerian traditions are based on Ihe books of and practices detailed by Gerald Gardner, but the term " G a r d n e r i a n Tradiliun" also applies to many Fam-Trads w h i c h pre-date Gardner and seem similar to Ihosp practice';described hy h i m . Most m o d e m "Gardnerians" actually practice an eclectic amalgam of inflexible early twentieth-century Wiccan beliefs from Europe, incorporating various Fam-Trads in their quest for the " O r i g i n a l " Wicca. The oldesl proof of a pre-Gardnenan tradition mentioned in ihis book, the Maxchand Fam-Trad. dales (at leasl) to 1930, but has only considered itself " W i c c a n " since the seventies. This is typical of the older trads, m a n y of w h i c h have changed to fit a Wiccan m o l d in Ihe pasl fifty years. Dianic Traditions arc usually feminist placing the Goddess above the G o d in importance. Dianic traditions are more common on Ihe west COUt of Ihe United States, and ace> usually d i v i d e d into two groups; Dianic Wiccans (those accepting the G o d and GoddessJ and Dianic Pagans (monotheistic Pagans w o r s h i p p i n g only a Goddess.) O n the hast Coast. Cardncrian-based practioners outnumber Dianics substantially, but in the past 20 years, Ihe number of Wiccans considering themselves Eclectics and Reconstruetionisls has increased all over Ihe United Slates. Eclectic Traditions use a broad framework of traditional and historical practices wrapped around a core of beliefs regarding h o w the w o r l d works. Reconstruction ists aLso use a core of beliefs, but restrict
Kaatryn MaiMargan
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their study of histnrk al and traditutfial practices to one culture Of family. I^crotrucuonists range Itcini W k c a n Kecoixstructionisls. w h o seek lo practice the religion of M o d e m Wicca within a cultural framework, such .is Celtic or Hellenistic Wiccans, to pure cultural Recoiislruetionlsis. who leject Lhe W k c a n beliefs for resurrected or reconstructed religions of Ancient Greece, Rome. Ireland, arid elsewlltdre. Fam-Trads range from the well k n o w n to lhe obscure. Some are strict, like the Marchund trad, w h i c h has an epic poem that details both the history of the iamily and the rules o i ritual in explicit detail. Some, like the TociHB Family Tradition, have no written rules and consist of the teachings o i one person's litelime. The history and si^e of a tradition doesn't matter in Wicca, although it can feel nice to have a huge group of Colleagues and a stack of books to refer to. Some trads claim lineages thousands of years o l d and some are being created right now, hut the beauty of Wicca is that neither age nor numbers lend legitimacy to the praclioners of a tradition, their actions do. For this reason, size, w h i c h can mean the difference between a c u l l and a " r e a l " church in Christianity and other faiths, doesn't matter in Wicca. Some traditions consist of o n l y one or two individuals, and the largest have thousands. In Wicca, it is the shared beliefs, not their age or the n u m ber of believers, w h i c h make a tradition. Universal Eclectic Wicca, which this bonk is about, i s a broad-based Eclectic tradition, originally created to bring together the followers of several different groups whose leaders had learned from the same training circle. AItbough none of our covens were alike, we decided lo craft a " t r a d i t i o n " encompassing all of our beliefs. U H W is the result of that work. To the Skeptic, reading w i t h the purpose of ridicule or damnation, 1 ask vou lo remember thai Ihis is not some freak cult..-this is our reli¬ gion, respect i l as y o u respect your o w n . for our beliefs are as deeply held, f charge the Christian skeptic to read Matthew 7:1; "Judge n o t " and bide by it.
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To Ihı? traditionalist, the Wiccan w h o sayfl, " N o , ft most be done this way," I say " G r o w " our similarities outweigh our diilerences. This may not bp Y O L R tradition. I never said i l wan. To all, I challenge y o u with our A f f i r m a t i o n of Acknowledgment, the first piece of U E W writing any student learns- It stands as a leslirnony uf our intcnl In practice nur faith f w ourselves, wliile allowing others to practice Iheir faiths uniiindered: The Affirmation of Acknowledgment: f: I acknowledge the presence of other faiths on my 1
planet, indeed, right here in my city/town/village. I acknowledge thai the followers o l these faiths feel as strongly, maybe more so. than I do about mine l i : I forgive the other faiths and w i p e clean lite slate between us-1 cannot hold a person responsible for the arts of their faith; I cannot hold a faith at fault for indi vidual practitioners. It is not my place lo convert, or otherwise altera person's religion. I ir.vite. discussion of beliefs without judgment of those h o l d i n g them. Ill: I acknowledge that I may be wrong, and 1 have found comfort in Ihe fact that I m a y be right.
Contents
hirewwd
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I •!--!-• • Book One: Th. Religion
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1
Ek*>k f$M The GnmoiiE —
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B,xA Threr A f c n k c 4 L i K h i —
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!"•• h x i r A IVtioriarv ol Mndrm P i M T i Bonk H n Appendices and Help*
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JtO
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Appmdit A: Journal Ponderances — — Appvndit 3: TheConolilutioriol Th# United State* of America
339
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Appendix C: Amendment* to theCormiliutlon ol the United Stales Appendix | i K. _ i
J6l : in^ hp Votr.
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Appvrkli* E T n * PnncipW^ oi W k n r be\t*i ...—_ Append?* f: The Full Chuter and Buk> or Hehfiion: Other. Thr N*w York Pagan Allura •• — AprnnduLi: Two Wrsiofli d The thfirftt' *PI IrW 1 . . h l d r " ar.i one of The God: .—
—J73 -575 -379 —385
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A p p e n d i x i i : Internet Resource G u i d e
389
Appendix T: 5fl Basic Concepts ci U F W Wiccan I earns i n the First arid Second Circles
391
Bibliography
395
Book One: The Religion
Disclaimer: Throughout Ibis work 1 mention numerous types of Magickal and Religious people, ranging From Mages l o Seventh-day Advenli&ts. This should by no means be considered a validation o l these faiths and beliefs. 1 make no claim of maslery of ihese failhs or practices. W h i l e I have dabbled and mcan-dercd from Angelic Magick to 7en Buddhism, from Plato lo C r o w l e y to C u n n i n s h a m and back again. 1 am a l'riesless of Universal Eclectic Wicca.
Chapter One Achieving the First Circle
Universal Eclectic Wicca, a s the name suggests, is an E c l e c t i c trad i t ion. Webster's N e w World dictionary defines eclectic as "selecting or selected from various sources." U F W is based on not nne or IwO sources but an inlinite number o l sources, allowing the student to use any source he or she rinds useful, p r o v i d e d the context o£ the source is taken into consideration and respected. M u c h as the " W i t c h - C u l t " described in Gerald Gardner's Witchcraft Today grew and changed w i t h t h e addition and subtraction of various p e o p l e throughout t h e British Isles, our modern Wicca, fueled b y the rapid changes of the communication age, grows and changes w i t h the people w e meet through networking and a free press. C o u l d Gardner, or a more recent author, have predicted Ihe ritual on Gallows H i l l in. Salem, Massachusetts i n 1992, where Pagans of every creed and color marched to honor those persecuted in the name of religion? C o u l d the indigenous shamans of the Americas have predicted the thousands of non-native seekers abandoning their "European w a y s " to seek the spirits of the land? C o u l d any of us have predicted the vast Pagan comro unity of thu-Internet or the explosion of Paganism's popularity with young teens? In order to accept the changes that thousands of n e w s e e k e r s have brought to Wicca, w e must make the realization that no one was born
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without the abili ty to Contribute in h u m a n k i n d , thai each life-, tin m a l lei how insignificant, creates some small change. H u m a n k i n d without change is an u g l v thought, indeed. A n o l d bardic law include". |hp phrase "ever changing, ever learning, ever g r o w i n g , " and thai is our modem Wicca- We live in a beautiful time, for ail its strife and hardship, and the pace of change is always growing. A s children, m y grandparents had no television; m y mother (despile her dependency on it now) had no computer.. .1 cannot cumprehend m y lift without either. W h o knows what m y son will have at m y age? The changing nature of the world calls: for flexibility, not just cultural flexibility, but spiritual flexibility. Religion that is static ceases to be religion and becomes something frightening, so we must be constantly vigilant in our preservation of our upen-mindedness. We must accept the positive changes, and w h e n faced w i t h negative ones, adapt them to positive ends. Most of a l l , w e have to nnt fear them. Fear of change is the greatest cause of persecution! in our history, especially the history of North America, the cradle o f modern Eclectic Wicca. From die Zapatistas to the lnuit, the m a k e u p of this entice continent is a list of the oppressed. M a n y of the first settlers were escaping persecution w h e n they came here and dished it out to the indigenous people and others by the shovel full, claiming tlie entire time to be protecting their faith. M a n y have found their religions focusing not cm their god(s), but o n their persecutors, and entire sects of religions talk of nothing but "not letting 'em get to us," and spend hours weekly trying to prevent change. The most frustrating aspect of this fear of change is that it is often more consuming w i t h i n the groups w h o face the least persecution, the professional w h i t e male, and his affluent suburban Christian communitv. Contact with harsh w o r l d of the 1
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underprivileged seems to give those persecuted daily better things to do tluui worry about conspiracies or f o r m militias. Those currently persecuted can only look at those w h o have fallen and try to be stronger, h o u s i n g , not on the past, but on the futun; and the change it promises.
When no longer persecuted, churches and faith gnrups must change or (ace becoming locu&ed exclusively on the past If they fail to change, walls of fear and misunderstanding ran rise u p , culting the faith and lis practioncrs off from rcaliiv and allowing insane, corrupt or downright evil leaders lo run Iheir lives. From Jim Jones lo Ihe Televangelists ilrai bilk senior citizens out of everything lliey own, i i is a scenario that replays iiself every few years. Careers, lives, even souls are destroyed in m o m e n t while we jnsl shake our heads and m o u r n more "freaks" w h o have followed a leader we don't understand. "If is an U s ' and T h e m ' and anyone w h o isn't wiih the church is against it," a former fundamentalist told m e of iter experience, shortly after leaving such a church. "We're no longer a church, but a set of issues...if you're not Anti-gay, anti-choice and anti-woman, y o u are not welcome." Ihis same person noted a frightening trend: " N o t once were the teachings of Christ not attached to the church's political agenda. We were buffeted with tales of the past, and h o w everything is corrupted now." "That wasn't a church," she added, "That was a conspiracy cult* 3
The perceived persecution, at worst, can become real persecution. There is a metaphysical law that stales: "Belief creates Reality." Nowhere does it come into effect more visibly than w h e n the cycle of persecutor and perseculed becomes continuous. Take the example o l David Korean's Branch Dav id ians; Thinking themselves persecuted they began to prepare for a "war." Their preparations Led to their persecution, and then their war happened. The force of belief is very powerfoi. To prevent becoming another conspiracy cull, Wicea (or any religion) must be eclectic, and accept from all of its members while maintaining a high level of determination to not become the persecutors.. One need only hang o u l in a Pagan chat room for a short while to see a Wiccan who diis concept Ls lost upon. That there are anti-Christian Wieeans is a sorry fact oi our culture, many Wiccans are e*-Chrislians, and often there is nothing so obsessed about a religion aLS its former members. Hopefully, the day will not come when people focused on haling their old faith instead of practicing their new one are the majority, h u l we
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must a l l remain vigilant against these "haters" and teach them the path of love. A l a friend's hand fasting (a Wirrnn ma rriage ceremony), the H i g h Priestess passed around a chalice made o l a wineglass covered i n sofi, unfired polymer clay- A s w e passed the glass around, our lingers touched the clay, leaving a myriad o l fingerprints, and other marks. The Priestess fired ihe clay during Ihe reception, and as the las! gift, gave them the chalice. "Everyone w h o lunched your ceremony touched this," she told the couple, "and this is to remind y o u not only o l those w h o touched your ceremony, but of Ihe millions w h o touch your life, mostly with fingerprints you'll never see." 1
Wicca is much like that chalice, w i t h a fingerprint appearing for everyone w h o touches it. Many of the fingerprints are small, and hardly noticeable, a few are strong, and firm, their owners easily identified. In some places, ppoplp havp made Iheir mark on Wicca by pulling at the clay, or scratching Iheir initials i n it. These people serve as a reminder to be selective in w h o we trust. The Priestess d i d not simply leave the chalitc out for anyone to touch, but gave it lovingly lo friends, lamily and caring bystanders. Unfortunately, with a religion, we can't give the faith lo those we know alone. N e w people come into Wicca everyday, Irom many different backgrounds. A s Wiccans, w e have to work around Ihe gouges in the clay some of them leave behind. We need to remember that if the public meets only one of a group, it is that person w h o Ihe group is judged by. Certainly the marks of Scott C u n n i n g h a m and the like do Wicca a great honor w h e n used as examples, but negative examples exist. A s Wiccans defending our faith, it's our job to note these negative examples, and learn from them; w h i l e providing good examples ourselves. It's n o l always easyMany people believe that Modern Wicca, in its earliest incarnation, was created by Aleister C r o w l e y Even Gardner, in the aforementioned work, acknowledges that possibility, w h i l e proposing the idea that Crowley learned from Witchcraft.' N o g o o d interpretation o l the works of C r o w l e y is complete without at leasl an overview o l Ihe writings of 1
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the fo un d Bn. o l early M o d e r n Wicca. Similarly, .in understanding oí early twentieth century Wicean authors is o n l y reached by understand¬ ing the paradigm cıealed by Crowley and hin contemporaries. Unfortunately, aıı uninformed overview of Crowley can ercale w i l d ideas in those searching (or a way to condemn Wicca- Cerlainly his philosophical fingerprint was apparent on tire chalice o l Wicca when a N o r i h e m N e w York Christian Activist referred io Wlccansas "Followers of the dark Magician Crowley w h o claimed to be Salan himself."^ C a u t i o n , therefore, is the guideword i n our Eclecticism, what we include reflects w h a l w e are- This does not negate the importance o l Eclecticism, but a religion comprised of someone else's rules and rites falls into inevitable decline. We must be inclusive and w a r m , just as the ancient peoples w h o practiced the foundations of M o d e m Wicca were. Like ihern, we must welcome a n d process new ideas while maintaining Ihe o l d , and incorporate n e w information and technolo gies into our practice without forgetting their roots. Eclecticism in Wicca is no I, as some traditionalists have claimed, a losa of our ancestral history as Wicoans., but a celebration of the H i s l o r y we are making n o w as humans- By embracing Eclecticism, we are merely doing what was done befort... improving. The earliest Witches d i d it, the wise w o m a n , shaman a n d d r u i d . i n a natural reli gion, eclecticism and evolution are unavoidable- It is n o l our way lo light nature.
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A s I w a l k e d into a class he was teaching, a friend and metaphysical scholar had written the following i n a bold h a n d across a wall o l black boards in a ron d o w n high school. The students, w a i l i n g for a qoeslion and answer session o n Wicca, read: Contémplale the f o l l o w i n g i t alem ents: 1. Matter exists in every galaxy it is universaL 2. A i r is a need we ail share it is urtiversal3. T h a i screwdriver works o n all screws i l is universal.
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Three m e a n i n g IIIUJ w o r d , this isn't that uru.-iim.nlQn in CtiL' English language. Universal means ever-present, everywhere, throughout ihe universe . It also means Ihe Entirety, everything that was, is or w i l l he. li also means usable by and for everything, 1
Wicca conforms to all of Ihese definitions- l l is ever-preseni, i l we could travel to any location, at any point In lime. Wicca. lli.it is. lire laws and beliefs thai comprise Wicca, w o u l d still be ineflecl. Obviously the ethics w o u l d differ from situation to situation, but the basic religion w o u l d slay the same. Wicca is not limited b y one's location. A | the same time, Wicca encompasses The A l l , and The A i l is encompassed in Wicca. U n l i k e many faltha, we d o not believe the soul has a pari of d i v i n i t y thai is separate Irom our body and m i n d . W h i l e philosophers like PlalO taughl that the d i v i n i t y manilesled by the unity o l the various parts o l ihe P s y c h e / S i u l was a state to be achieved ' , we teach l h a l total integration is there from the starr, giving us unlimited power, control of our o w n destiny and ihe Will to d o anything, best described in the calchphrsse from Robert Heinlein's Stranger i n a Slrange Land coined h v T l i e C h u r c h of A l l Worlds: •Thoua'rl G o d We are Godfdess). This does not mean w e are m i l tinman, or better, only thai divinity, with all its meanings, is w i t h i n us. a part of us. In Wicca. Ihis is sometimes called Manifest Divinity, and means |hat everything is divine, bach moment in life is viewed spiritually, so each ordinary Ihing becomes a lesson, with w o r k , the littlest things have huge revelations, as shown in this humorous tidbit 1 wnile a few years ago tor m y newsletter. The G r e e n : h
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The D n n u l Inspiration comes from strange places, in this case, a donul. N o t jost any donot, but a plain donut...lonely, boring, brown, tasteless, perfectly normal and sitting there in a bos that started out w i t h nine, three cinnamon, three sugared, and three plain.
fin two weeks il .. - doilut sat alone in a bo* at my lover's parents house, unwanted and unattended. When i l disappeared, box and a l l , I was ton embarrassed to ask where It had gone, so i d i d n ' t , just let it lay, and thought o n it- You know, I felt sorry for that donut, deprived of a sweet coating, it dried ont, aged, and was thrown away, just because: it wasn't special. r
T h a i donot was like h u m a n k i n d , like too many pentpie w h o brush up against the cinnamons, sugared and chocolate glared lo get a sparkle of difference, a dusting cA significance, or, worse yet, they gaae up at heaven waiting for some celestial custard filling, or Raspberry Cream, or Dutch A p p l e Mousse lo make them different, special, jrfjrufrrjrrl. You know, there is a beauty in a plain d o n u t There is no distinction made between the spiritual and Ihe physical... Everything is divine, a lesson. Everything is Wlcea, even a donut, no matter h o w stale. I like to call this k i n d of perception "revelation in the i r r e l e v a n t " It begins with Ihe conscious decision to learn something from the mosl meaningless stimuli. I l starts as a mental workout, but before long, the lessons come wi|h no w o r k at ailThe universality of Wieca also means that Wicca can be used by all and anything can be used in Wicca. A s long as the Five Points o l Wiccan Belief are there, and the other basic beliefs are met, any religion can be called " W i c c a n , " there is Wiccan Druidry, Wiccan Judaism, even Wiccan Christianity. The laws ol Wicca are relevant lo A L L religions, and all aspects of l i f t This is because the laws of Wicca are not commandments or Ihe subjective rules of a deity but die rules y o u can recognize just by looking around you. Those laws that are metaphorical, such as Ihe L a w of Return, when proven by physics such as "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction,' or laws of natural science w i t h extraordinary proofs, are 1
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said to be metaphysical. Metaphysical laws can be proven, with experimentation, as surely as can gravity. Lastly, universality also means that we are a l l , Dianic, <. .a rd nerian, bclcctic or what'have-you, practicing the same thing, Wicca... A l l One Wicca, This does not mean thai each tradilicni is unimportant, only that all traditions are equally « Important, whether comprised o l o r * , or one hundred membersRatber than divide our members inlo Solitary' and C n v e n Practitioners, in Universal Eclectic Wicca, w e have what are called Circles- These circles don't measure h o w many people you practice with, but represent two ihings; H o w much y o u know about Wicca and H o w much lime and effor! y o u p u i into your religion, ihe community, and your "learning quest." (The: learning y o u have already done probably places you within a circle, but small projects are asked of students wishing to switch into Universal Frlectic W i r r a . These are usually papers, or debates, or in-depth conversadons to determine h o w much y o u know.) The variances in your beliefs a n d Ihe next Wicean's beliefs are vitally important so d u n ' ! . . . d o n o l try to think like the next guy. Begin to let your philosophies wander, i l y o u create somediing thai Isn't Wiccan, oh well, our loss. Being " W i c c a n " is no! the goal here, being h u m a n , and being good at it, is. A l l religions, regardless of Ihe inspiration behind them, are created by humankind. Your religion is your religion, and mine is mine. We may use Ihe same words, rituals, etc, but unless every way y o u Ihink. is the same as mine, our religions are i n d i v i d u a l . A l l religion is limited lo one practitioner, even i l w e call the practitioners o l similar religions by the same name, K a l MacMorgnn's personal Wicca is nnt Tamryn's Wicca, or Lady Diana's Wicca, or Jolin Q. Pagan's Wicca, i l is the roll' gious belief w i t h i n her soul, much of w h i c h cannot be expressed in words. This fierce individuality is reflected strongest by our deity concepts, our worship of Gaea, or Diana, or Apollo. A l t h o u g h we may even call a G o d or Goddess by the same name, h o w can 1 know exactly what *s) he looks like to you? The laces of the gods are s h o w n differently In each person, and the .same name, and even Ihe same image is
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different ftorri one person to • i I • Thk- la a perceptional dilemma, like using words to describe colors. We kr»ow thai blue is the color of something, but h o w do we k n o w that my brain doesn't see blue things as a color y o u ' d call red? H o w do you explain blue to a blind pers o n . , Y O U don't, you just k n o w it is blue- Perception is never identical, although the level of perception may be. M y god may be fem.ilc. or blond, or dark skinned, or called "jayne D o u g h . " but it's m y inner god. and my inner religion, and it d o e s n ' l need to mean anything hi y o u . It's okay to follow the god voice inside, even holy to do so. 1 w o u l d contend it is blasphemous to do a n y t h i n g except listen to the voice inside of your soul, and that trying to learn to hear it is the most sacred occupation a person can lake up. A few may feel strongly thai the G o d s have only one name, and one face, and as a priestess, but mostly as a Metaphysicist f believe that a great "oneness" is not a completely illogical belief. However, human beings are limited in their ability to perceive things by the dimensions they exist within- We can only comprehend Ihose things w i l h length, w i d t h , depth and. time and our linear temporal existence (meaning that w e move only one way in lime in these bodies, forward, without the ability to go backwards or in circles) limits what w e k n o w of time. Thus, beings of more than these four dimensions w o u l d be impossible to grasp in their terms, and our own inadequacies w o u l d be filled by our imaginations, creating our personal naimes and faces of God{s). The gods are no more upset by our inability to perceive Iheir Entirety than one is by a blind person peiCeiving without sight. It is s i m p l y lack of a sense, a fault of our species. We can work to better understand the gods (lose the obsession w i t h linear lime In -.: w i l h the senses w e do have merely by applying the Hermetic m a x i m " A s A b o v e , So Below." By noting the elfects o l our works on "lesser" creatures and creations we can glean, to a degree, what is going on upstairs,and 1 wouldn't p u l II past the gods to h a v e a h a n d i n assisting us, beginning by placing the divine voice, and curiosity about the universe, inside all of us.
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Universalism includes everything in urte broad sweep. The religion. Its laws, lis gods ait? universal In scope and usage, and our ability to p e m j v G them, as limited (or u ni imited) as it is, still reflects an F.ntirety. In our assembly line culture. It is easy to consider ourselves as u n i m portant as a single drop of water in an ocean- The Wiccan learns to know better...IEonly lakes one. d r o p to make waves.
While Universal Eclectic Wicca embraces a person's exploration inlo bis or her own religions paradigm, we must draw a line between what we will accept as pari of Wicca and what we won't. These limits to our religious universality ace The Five Points of Wiccan Belief- Within them, w e can find most of Ibe principles of the various traditions ol Wicca. These five- ethics are boiled d o w n Irorn many traditions, and exist in almost all forms of Wicca, although the names and parables attached to them change fnnti greiup to group. Practices that don't uphold these standards are difficult t o classify as Wiccan. The Five Points are: 1. The 2. The 3. The i. The 5- The
Wiccan Rede L a w of Return Ethic ot Self-Responsibility Ethic of Constant Improvement Ethic of Attunement
The Central belief in Wicca, the Wiccan Rede is the oldest of known ethics, the use of various phrasings of this law in pre-Cardnerian PamTrads leads lo the conclusion that if then? once was, as some claim, a unified pre-Chrislian Pagan religion, this was a tenet of it. In the nineteen seventies. Lady G w e n Thompson published a numbered faith poem in Greim Fgg magazine that was attributed to her grandmothiT and ended with the phrase we k n o w today as The Wiccan Kedc. This faith poem. The Rede of the Wiccae, is the foundation of a specific tradition ot Wicca. W h e n people write of ' T h e Wiccan liede" they are
rarely speaking of the faith poei n. but of this ph C I I - L . Which came first is an element of contention among Wiccans lo this day, and 1 w i l l not add to it beyond saying Ihat ihe coditied rules nf "Rede of The W i r c a e " arc not lield as tenets of many people's Wicca, but the Wlccan Rede is. The Wiccan Rede consists o l eight very carefully chosen words " A n it harm none, do as y o u w i l l . " Lt has become very fashionable, in some circles, to bemoan the meaning of the Rede and h o w everyone else doesn't follow it, using i l lo propose everything from the removal of Wiccans from the armed forces to strict veganlsm. but the truth is that the Rede is not " h a r m none" but A N it h a r m none, d o as y o u w i l l . " A n " is a middle English mutt of a n u r d , descended from one, like our present day " A n " but also a w o r d used lo mean " i f " hi Archaic English, as well as "as lung as" or "if and only if". Present day variations on the Rede, dropping A n replace it with " i f " or. in the case of many Hellenistic Wiccans, w i t h " f i r s ! " or, less often, " p r i m a r i l y . " 1 divulge into this seemingly pointless etymology w i t h a purpose! W h e n we separate the Rede not into " H a r m N o n e " and " d o as y o u w i l l " as some w o u l d liave y o u d o , b u l into a streamlined single logic expression, it can become " A s long as it harms none, do as y o u w i l l , " This is a far cry from harming none; this is the "first do no h a r m " of the Hippocralic oath followed by part of the basic metaphysical p r i n ciple ofThelema-"do as y o u w i l l " . It indicaites that a Wiccan knows his True W i l l and is voluntarily choosing to restrict his actions, when they can cause harm. The Rede, read in this wayjdoes not say do no actions that cause harm but instead says, "Ekj eiCtions thai cause no harm freely," A l t h o u g h failing as ihe singular statement that sums up all belief some wOuId have the Rede be, as the foondatinn for further Wiccan belief this works w c l L . . If w e can d o actions that cause no harm freely, what do w e " p a y " to do those actions that may cause harm? r
Before 1 am seen as a gross moral relativist, lei me point out that 1 believe Wicca leaches us lo move through life with m i n i m a l harm. A s w e become more in tune w i l h d i v i n i l y a n d ourselves, jost believing in harming none lails as a real morality. O n a macroscopic level it may work, but looked a l closely enough there are times w h e n no action y o u
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talte-OT don't take-will cause no harm. D o y o u treat a bacterial infection though ir w i l l kill the bacteria? Do y o u eat tofu ihough doing so causes ibe soy plants In suffer? D o y o u rejoice at being accepted into a college w h e n y o u k n o w that that means one less seat is available lor another w o u l d be student? Clearly belief in nut harming another tone* the spiritual B a n d - A i d it appears at first glance, nor is it the black and white spiritual dichotomy of many young Wiccan neophytes. The Pede is just not enough alone, and that's w h y the rest of the religion exists. 1 am lond of teaching " D o as you w i l l , if it harm naught, if it harm some, d o as you ought." The "ought" is the rest of Wiuca. and tlic purpose behind everything the Wiccan does. Rather than being a completely hands offspirituality in which one just docs whatever they want w h e n thev perceive it is ducky w i t h the divine to do so, this "ought" makes it clear that Wiccan s A R F held to a higher authority. The Second of the Five Points is what that authority is all about'The L a w of Return. Forget for a moment about your cosmology of choice (you'll find it is. to faith like hair color or body type is to pereonluaidsomething to recognize a thing by that doesn't have much to do w i t h the actual contents of the thing), forget abumt gods and giHitdesses, traditions, faeries, gnomes and woodehucks>, forget all of the gold and glitter and things that may've albacted y o u to Wicca in the first place and strip it d o w n to its core and y o u gel this simple fact; What you put out comes back t o y o u The Law of Return is nothing more or less than the spiriloal application of Sir Isaac Newton's L a w of A c t i o n from the Laws of Motion. Put simply, " F v e r y Action creates a re-action. What you d o y o u get hack, push and the universe pushes back. Several traditions add m u l tipliers, they say that what y o u put out y o u get back threefold, or sevenfold, others believe that the gods have Ihe time and the inclination to sort positive intent from negative and believe that e v i l comes back upon y o u one hundred-fold, while |^ood jost "comes back." Regardless of the trappings, whether it is inaccurately called " K a r m a " or whether it is pust called " L a d y Fortune." all of these traditions, and
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indeed, .ill faiths when seen l i o i t i a d islam: e b e l i e s this: D n good and gel good, do bad and get bad. Cimsider Ibis example, Frnm my invn training as a WLrcartMy eyes were blindfolded, ami I was being lead by two of njy besl friend? across a field toet with dew. H t y hadn't spun me. so f thought thai I had oneup on then, surr of where I was going. 10. 20. 30 step* and I heard Iheiirrn door swing open. (was 'Ight where I vm supposed to he, the doorlo the horn. Ilurcrackctl cenien t floor cool beneath my feci in the muggy Upstate Neio York summer, hi ihe distance, t heard a rumble of thunder: sani' theflushof lighting through tfwbtlte silk over my eyrs. r
Dry hands, lliin and fragile, feeling like the branches of autumn trees through my tee-shirt, the hinds of my teacher and priestess, guided me. my own hands autsiretclteti. to the Center of the btlrn.. I tuts guided to step up a few Inches onto a box thai was off killer, and I had to work to maintain a steady footing. M y lianas line guided out. Jn adhere a vfl leatlier *urfare. rounded, touched mu fingertips. "Push it," my priestess said. I hesitated. "Hawthmdd Jpueh it?' "Push U in whatever maimer you see fit" I leaned back on tlie box. and with tlie farce if my off kilter balance pushed as hard on Ihe thing as I could. II swung away from me. with a creaking from above- WHOOSH! Something slammed into my upper body from the same direction I had pushed. The strong hands of my eoveners grabbed me as I fell backwards, keeping me on the box. I put my hands out and thesphere-a heavy leather medicine ball, came to rest on my fingertips. My priestess, wk$ I knew nus smiling eivn though I was still bli'utfolded, rami' dtflf Jn mu ear. "Wlart did aou learn?' slw asked. Rubbing my arms. I sntdely whined. "Not Io listen when you sau 'push'" She laughed, and helped remove the blindfold. I looked at the medicine ball, suspended by a chain from rafter. She smiled at me. "That is the Law of Return, pusli Ihe universe and Ihe universe pushes l-ack. Push again" I gently touched the ball, it came back to res t against my fingers. "See." she said, "uou knew what von n>ere pushing and you didn't push hard enough to lose eontiol of the hall. Now push tilinrd" 1
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"J m not gonna pıtstı it lutrdi" "just push it Kul. you can see it can't uon?" I pushed the İvil hard again, it swung out front me, and curved slightly, as ii apptoached. i avoided il. icaugln n on the second swing. "Why did you menv?" "BCLBIISL- i m not a mown.*
"Why did you stop it ihc second time and not the first?" "if i grabbed ii the first time it mould'vcknocketl me offthe bca" "Thai's the difference Irelneen thinking magickally and thinking like a sheep. The Magus ducks the swinging perululunı. as Hermes Trrsmrgrstus says, white the slieep fust gets knocked around, if you laid a choice, push blindfolded or ioiihoui the blindfold, wliich n
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from Ihis belief Ltı.ll the L a w of Return gels- tbe misnomer the " K a r m i c Law." Karma as experienced by Ruddhist and H i n d u peoples is not simi lar at all to the way İt fits into the Wiccan m i l i e u . Hew Wiccans, if any, believe in tbe caste system inextricably l i n k e d to tbe H i n d u reincarnatloTuSr belief, so I will focu* more o n the Buddhist idea of reincarnation that grew Irom it. The use o l the term " K a r m a " in Wloca got its rise from the earliest writings of the M o d e m Wiccan movement, a move ment that evolved in part Iroin Thensophy. Within Theosophy lies a belief called the "transmigration of s o u l s " w h i c h is a synthesis of Western and Buddhist belief. Put simply, the soul moves through stages-lives-in an attempt to grow at one with the universe. A t the irmst fully developed stage ouiside this oneness one is a " B u d d h a " capable of bringing the w o r l d great w i s d o m , In Wicea. both ihe belief that the evil that occurs in ones life as a learning experience and the belief that one is punished for misdeed in the last life arises from Theosophy. The rational Wiccao, wllether a believer in Transmigration of Souls or not, sees each new life as a tabula rasa, a clean slale, and slums all beliefs that smack of predestination. I le does not find solace in Ihe belief that the good or evil thai occurs in his life Is the result of his past actionsrather he faces the perhaps uncomfortable belief that there is a certain level of cliaos inherent in the universe. Sometimes bad things happen to bad people because of the bad energy they send out, but occasionally bad things happen to gixx.1 people fur no reason whatsoever. The Law of Keturn does not "protect" a person from the inherent chaos of Ihe universe, hot it does give one the tools lo better deal with Ihe effects of dial chaos. In mathematics, w e can sec that the slightest variation in a system can produce dramatically different results, such as the systems tliat produce "never Ihe same way twice" fractals, or even the production of water crystals to form a snowflake-a naturally occurring fractal. To the Wiccan, life looks- an awful lot like a fractal, w i t h his actions laying a ground work for their direction, and perhaps
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helping dirruí where i l goefl a l limes, b u l w i t h chaos, not astrology u r a past life, being lhe ultímate artiste. I ran already hear cheers from the Frisians and similar followers of lady discord, b u l I. lor one. don't see i h i s chaos power as anything divine or magickal in Lhe slightest if i s a natural law thai affects gods, man and animals alike, a sort of divine M a g n a Carta which the gods created and ended up subject to. This belie! in randomness makes holding Wiccan belief thai much more honest-thai much more honor able-! k n o w thai I hold my beliefs, and perform iny actions not out of fear of retribution for evi I, bu t beca use I have made the active decision to be a force for good In tire universe. This belief in doing good lor the sake o ! good leads to the third Point of Wiccan Elelief: The Ethic of Self-responsibility. A l o n g w i t h the belief thai we are born with a tresh newness uninfluenced by past lives, lhe position of the slars or anything beyond genetic nature and parental nurture comes the belief thai the Wiccan is inherently respon sible for himself, the belief that o n l y the individual can be blamed for his actions and the individual must not allow himself to be " l e d " to take actions that are contrary to his faith. The devil d i d not make y o u do it, I d i d not make you do it, Twinkies d i d n ' t make you do it, your commanding officer d i d n ' t make you do it: You made \tou do it. "Yün made y o u do i f is the third lesson on Wicca 1 usually leach m y students. A m a z i n g l y , about three-quarters of them slay on after hearing it, b u l a significant minority are so put out b y the concept-lhat Y O U made y o u do it, not some mysterious they, thai thev run scurry ing away in fear. While lhe Wiccan Hede is the single belief that labels Wiccan groups as " W i c c a n " lhe Fthic of Self-Responsibility is fhp sin gle bcliel lhat labels Wiccan groups as "ethical." Self-Responsibility stands as a contrast to the biggest flaw in lhe modern connected culture...eternal continuous vietimhood. Turn on the television during the day, and you w i l l see hundreds o l shows dedicated to "'pOQT litlle me:" lhe me who is an addict, the me w h o is was abused, the me w h o can't go to school because I have five kids and another on the way. The Fthic of Self-Responsibility squashes
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these "me"s. N e matler whether y u n are a recovering addiel, .m abuse survivor, a person w h o has made bad choices, Y/ou are responsible lor yourself and to ynurselE. To one degree, I Ms Is the ethic o l " v o u gotta d o what y o u gotta d o " if you're in an abusive relationship. lor example, assume that no one will come to save y o u , n o i the gods, not y o u r friends, it is up to you hi gel out of or change lhat relationship by whatever means possible that does the least harm hi everyone involved, yoursel f included. O u r c u l ture encourages us to give o u r responsibility up to a "higher power," w e are told w e don't have control over o u r emotions, o u r addictions, our situations, but we do. There is no Satan, mysteriously m o v i n g y o u from behind a curtain, there is no i d , d r i v i n g y o u toward animalistic tendencies, unable to be Controlled without the most stringent emo tional control, y o u are n o t a puppet or p l a y t h i n g of the gods, your se* drive or your genetics. What you are is a h u m a n bein^. to the Ancient Creeks, a dichotomy-not really a god. but not really an animal, having urges that lead h i m toward fight or flight w h e n stressed, but capable of a million other reactions in the situation. 1
The Ethic of Self-Responsibility frees y o u from the culture that leads y o u to be a victim, to be Wiccan is to make the choice lo be responsible for every action, good and bad, w h e n you get an A on a paper, y o u gave you that A , when you flunk a dass, you gave you IhatF It can be scary to take this responsibility, to look at your l i l e a n d s e e where you've blamed your faults on others, but it is the most freeing experience there is. This idea thai a person is responsible for all o l their actions results in the belief lhat life must be used as a learning experience, For some Wiccans, Ihis life is considered a slep on the ladder o l reincarnation, a n d a chance to learn lhat must n o l be wasted. To Wiccans w h o d o not believe in reincarnation, ihis life is seen as a precious gift that should not be squandered' Both of these groups believe in the fourth of The Five Points of Wiccan Belief, The Ethic of Constant Improvement, A l its heart, constant improvement is growth, the bettering of oneself and the environment by whatever means causes the least harm. It is because of thiselhic lhat many Wiccans are active in the protection of
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the environment. For Some, environmental ism, what Scull Cuitningham calls "Earth Stewardship," is seen as a direct mandate from Ihe rreator/b/s, fur others i l IF. Reen as the logical slep In a reincarnated life In the fulure (who wants to l i v e in a destroyed environment?) and lor oihers still, acting to protect the environment is the logical outgrowth of the Wieean Rede. A s with other things, many Wiocans see environment o n two levels, the immediate microcosmic level and tht global level. These Wiccans believe thai fixing things often begins at home by trying to raise families in healthy homes that enrich their lives and challenge their soul. M a n y Wiccans do not teach their children ol their religion until they arc o l d enough to lake responsibility for their every action, instead choosing to show Lheir child the similarities between Ihe many faiths of the: world and what they do to improve their follower's lives. Even without anything resembling the religious indoctrination provided children by other faiths, many of these children choose Wicca nonetheless. Those that don't arc loved no less than those that d o , and their parents ofien affirm their right to believe otherwise. A l l of these beliefs tie together in The Ethic of Altunement, last of the Five Points and the basis for all of the ritual that Wiccans perform. The Ethic of Altunement Is the belief thai the Wiccan should attempt to become " i n tune" with divinity, his surroundings and himself. H o w this is done varies from Wiccan to Wiccan. Whether i l be the belief thai prayer, meditation, and magick need be done to bring one's w i l l closer tolhat of the divine or merelv Ihe act of sitting and observing h o w the w o r l d w o r k s dial a person does to become into, it's still valid and holy. To some, ihe recognition of moon phases, ancestral holy days or lire turning of die seasons arc vital to uttunemcnt, but for others altunement is nothing more than the recognition of the presence of tile divine in oile'slife. Wiccans recognize three basic Ivpes of divinity i n the universe. I. The Self is divine. Z. The Gods/other powers are divine. 3. The Universe itself is divine.
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The D i v i n e Seli (thuu art god) is expressed w i t h i n The Ethic of SelfResponsibilily. f\'o one is i n control of the cielf except lor the creator of the Self, the person that " o w n s " the body- We see ourselves as divine; therefore, w e k n o w that we can d o anything. Magick becomes possible through faith i n the Self, because faith is magical, as detailed i n The Psychology of Religions Experiences (Envüı Ramsdell Goodenough, " T h e magic of faith—is it reli^rjun or magic? The question has broken d o w n into tautology. Faith that w e can d o the superhuman, such a s killing or healing another person by suggestion, gives us power to d o what is beyond ordinary human powers. Through faith we do control the uncontrollable—some of it, a little. Where there is faith, there is religion. N o t intellectual assent hut faith, deep emotional Rcceptanre, makes a Catholic or a Voodooist. Those w h o have 'lost their faith' often speak of the loss as though they had lost their sight or hearing, a faculty of some sort thai made them able to d o things to themselves and for them selves which they cannot n o w do. They are quite right; they have lost a real potency, a real power of control. So J must say that, to call a belief 'superstition', a ritual 'magic', is only to pronounce a value judgment. These are religious beliefs and acts w h i c h the person calling them 'supersdiiun' or 'magic' does not like. In calling them so, w e are..,limiting 'religion' to what we o u r selves approve." O u r rites of Atlunement to the d i v i n e self include the practice of Ritual, and occasionally. H i g h Magick, but also include meditation, dance, d r u m m i n g and anything else that makes us feel i n touch with ourselves. The Divinity of the Gods, or the "Other Powers" defies imme diate explanation, as d o the gods themselves, hi Wicca, o u r gods are more like parents, the D i v i n e Father and the Great Mother, and less
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like the furv-fueled jealous G o d of A b r a h a m . O u r rites of Atlunement to the G o d s are nearly all celebratory in nature, w i t h the more intensive rituals combining the divinity nf the £p>ds w i t h the divinity of the Universe in worship of the lunar and harvest cycles. The Divinity of the Universe is s u b d i v i d e d into three groups. In Gaeisrn. the Planet Larlh is a creature and each i n d i v i d u a l being, plant, animal or mineral is a part of that being, w h i c h is usually, but not always, named for the Goddess Gaea or G a i a . In A n i m i s m , each thing be it a windstorm or a rock, has a spirit o l its o w n . In Cyclic Totality, or Cyclicism, it is the laws of the Universe that are divine, be they the cycles of celestial decay, or tlte harvests, or the birth-death'rebirth of the nitrogen cycle. The combination of these three forms of Universal divinity are used in Wieca in varying degrees with l i p service, if not full ritual given to each of the forms. Beyond these five points, what Wicca is is primarily speculative. It is known that the use of the term "Winca" in its modern form evolved around Hie lime of Gerald Gardner, and, in fact, the current popular usage of the terms "Wiccan" and " W i o c a " w o u l d probably seem strange lu Gardner were he alive today- In truth, the actual roots of M o d e r n Wicca w i l l never be k n o w n beyond that it, d i d . indeed, evolve from the indigenous beliefs of Europeans, especially the beliefs of those in the BrilLsh Isles and Greece. While; i l Is often kitsch to say that Wicca is "the O l d Religion," i n fact, W i c c a is tlte N e w Religion of the O l d Gods, an important distinction The F i v e Points of Wiccan Belief, enumerated i n this manner, are the basis for Universal Frleclir W i r r a , and a project providing "proof" o l one's literacy within them is the o n l y requirement expected of a student w h o wishes lo practice within the F i r s l Circle- If y o u wish to use this book as a lesson plan for the First and Second. Circles, ' suggest that y o u use a two or three page paper focusing on a current issue as a pmject before y o u slart. A n a l y z e the issue against the Five Points of Wiccan belief, and ask a sympathetic teacher, fellow Wiccan or friend to read i t
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Have the person reading your paper ask the fpUowmg questions uf it: -Are each of the Five Points mentioned? -Does Ihe anthnr make- his or her point clearly? -Docs flic author make judgments based on die points, or merely state the facts of the issue? -Whether yuii agree or nol, does the author make a good ease? -Does the author show an ellective w o r k i n g knowledge o l the live points? In a coven or training circle, die prool of knowledge usually focuses on a few questions asked by a leader and responded t o b y the student, questions are then asked by the other students, and defense of your point is expected- A paper is often easier than defending to a coven, because Cnverkers and students alw ays seen! to find the one or two things y o u missed diinking about, and catching y o u off guard. r
Once you've mastered these five points, y o u ' v e achieved the First Circle of UhW\ hven if you don't pursue U E W as a tradition, this basic knowledge translates well into nearly every form of Wicca- Remember that no lime spent Studying your faith is ever wasted.
Chapter Two Redefining our Spirituality
To the new Wiccan, thai is, the vast majority of us w h o aie not born into the religion, a lot ol ihe so-called "simple" terminology had been beaten and burned o u i of us, their meanings so lost in intolerance that we cannot use them without reeling a least a little betrayed. It Is one o l our first steps, therefore, to reclaim the terms of o u r relationship with divinity. "Religion," "sacred" and " s p i r i t u a l " all mean more than Christ or ' T h e One G o d , " but it can be hard lor some to realize this. A n easy example is unr early teachings. N o w , with the exception n l a lew well-intentioned years in the beginning, I was fortunate enough to go to a public school where the Judeo-Christian beliefs were only slightly pushed, like in the Pledge of Allegiance, and I was allowed to explore the various religions of other cultures. M y earliest interests were the Greek Gods, especially Demeler. but they were never listed as a " r e l i g i o n " dead or alive. Everything that wasn't (udeo-ChristLan was either " m y t h o l o g y " or " p h i l o s o p h y " and any religion based on those things was either "romantic" or " u n c i v i l i z e d , " and always, always, just plain silly. So for years, while at night 1 dreamt that a far off Demeler heard m y hushed prayers, I beat myself up over i l , w h y was 1 silly? W h y was f childish? H o w oould 1 glean laith Irom an Archetype? When I first really began to s t u d y Wicca, m y teacher said
four words thilb have held immense importance fur me. "Everyone may he r i g h t " Try the following v i s u a l r a t i o n : Tmaginp a great sphere, just slightly smaller than infinite, if y o n zoom close enough to the sphere, y o u ' l l notice that it's actually made up of billions of little hexagons, and that each hexagon faces a different direction, like facets of a huge jewel. The sphere is all one thing, hut each face!, viewed from close enough, seems to be independent of it. Truth is that sphere, and (hose facets a l l are created by truth, and have an equal portion of truth. There is room for many different truths in the universe, and limiting ourselves to seeing one facet is limiting ourselves to missing the beauty of the w h o l e thing. Personal truth may be merely one facet of this great object, vet it is no more Or less important than any other facet. Before y o u begin looking at the sphere, look at your facet- The sphere will come, but for now, onto the l e a r n i n g Quest. Picking up this work probably indicates that y o u already have found your way to tlie Learning Quest., .all of life is The Learning Quest, a journey from birth to beyond in w h i c h the goal, the holy graii, so to speak, is to leam...as much as y o u can, as often as y o u can. by the lime we're teenagers, w e understand most of the tangible world, and our basic knowledge of things l i k e physics, biology and the otlrer sciences Ins given us the tools to understand the resL A learning lull develops, where our primary negative reaction to so-called " n e w " information can either be "Tell me Something I d i d n ' l k n o w " or "Tell me something I couldn't have figured out for myself," The teenage altitude then of "I know it a l l " which frightens parents so, is justified because, compared lo the rest of his/her life, die teenager docs k n o w it all. In our last years of high school, and into our twenties the learning lull causes us to seek out a new side, a new direction. Similar lulls happen after life changes, marriage or divorce, or for no apparent reason, something we often call a mid-life crisis. For some, further research into something w e already know is enough to satisfy this vandeijahl.
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but fur many .1 whole new tiling ha* In be? sought, and spirituality is the perfect new quest. We all make mistakes a lung the way, some small and some great big ones. The importance is not h o w "perfectly" the quest goes, nut h o w much we learn from however it goes- A retort! of your quest is fundamental to this learning. If y o u don't already keep a journal, start now. Write at least every other day. If y o u can't find something worth writing about, try a pnnderance (Appendix A ) «»r use meditations from any number of religions. Make lists, d o ireeinrm poetry; y o u ' d be amazed by how much nonsense makes sense later "in life. Must importantly, be yourself. D o n ' l try to write tlie Diary of A n n e Frank, or great memoirs to be published after y o u die. If it helps y o u , tag a note to your journal addressed to y i i u r spouse, parents, or kids, asking them to destroy It upon y o u r d e a d i , 1J y o u feel you must leave something behind of great importance, write it separately, but keep a journal for yourself, and keep it casual and truthful.
M a n y of us grow up with a slanted ide.i oi what is sacred. We were told that this statue or that space was sacred and thus apart from ourselves. One of the first steps toward rede-fining our spirituality Is to give up our previous notions of things like "what is sacred?" and create new definitions. Sacred must Cease to be separate, for we devalue things kept from us. and it must begin ro mean something more, something different. O u r new Sacred could be defined as "Those tilings that, by bringing us closer to ourselves, bring us closer to divinity." A child is sacred, a grove, a hiding place where we once kept our loys and games, an engagement ring, a necklace given by a dear friend, all these things are personal relics, as impnrtanl as a Scrap of s,ome sainf s skin Or a sliver of so-called crosswood. Perhaps these things are made even more sacred b y their general normalness, a pair of o l d slippers, for instance, that bring Comfort, joy and a feeling of being at home are sacred by
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their very nature, like İlle w a r m wishes o l The Gods intended just for you. T h e sinden) of Wicra must reeval uate' 'sacred " under Ihese rules: fll: Do I consider i l sacred because I need it?? Those things that are vital.,.shelter, rood, water, are sacred to every one, and we should respect and honor them as sacred, but a more per sonal "sacredness" is what we're seeking i n this instance. H2: Do I consider it sacred because I've been told it is? These things may be sacred to others, but if y o u r o n l y reason tor con sidering them as personally sacred is because someone has told y o u so, it is probably not sacred to you. This doesn't mean y o u shouldn't respect another person's sacred items, just that they have no sacred meaning for you. Isit religious? Like the things above, these things s h o u l d inherently hold some respect, however, those things thai are nor of your religion are proba bly not sacred to you- If they have non-religious value {a grand mother's rosary, for instance) than that '-aloe should be w h y it is considered sacred, n o ! what it represents. #4: Does i l call to m i n d a belief, friendship, or other indefinable part of m y Self? Jlems Like this range from Totemic relics In things that appeal for no apparent reason, many people consider these things explanatory of their life- Some of these items, rocks, feathers, baubles, may have no apparent value, others may have obvious emotional attachment, like an engagement ring. Others may appear ordinary, like the leather y o u found the day after Fagle spoke In y o u o r the stick from the tree |hal died a l y o u r parent's house, but have groat meaning. L i k e a journal, creating a collection o l sacred things tells y o u about yourself. For many Wiceans., these things become altar decorations, or are placed around a circle to lend their power to tlie proceedings. These things are powerful, and we can U S H them toleam so much about ourselves that they become incredibly valuable. Tarnryn, a colleague of mine, once gave his shidents Ihe assignment of listing personally sacred
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things, and giving a brief description CM Why they considered those things in thai way. Students listed things like their children's baby teeth, musical instruments, gravestones and o l d love letter.. Wi|h each list, students wrote h o w the assignment made i h c m feci, and the surprising majority felt that they had learned something about themselves. This is just one example o l the soul-searching we ask of our students, a single method o l revealing the inner mysteries and a step toward understanding Ibe greater universe. This type of seeking, s i m plified in the command " K n o w thyself" is vital to learning any religion- L e i me take this moment lo remind you that i l at any lime y o u find that the religion y o u arc in is m a k i n g y o u feel uncomfortable, change it, and if i l resists change, light, or seek again. A t least in our h u m a n race, y o u k n o w y o u best...the goal is to k n o w y o u better.
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A necessity in our lives is the finding of the spiritual in the physical. W h e n w e don't, we run the risk of becoming zombies who've lost tmjch with their spirituality. Mundane lile is very much like cholesterol, and a diet of nothing but ihe mundane is as likely lo kill y o u as daily bacon and eggs. The inability to create an everyday spirituality is at the root of a good deal of society's problems. By becoming a living example of h o w life is lived, we can u n d o these societal ills, and be a betler person for it. In reaching for the perfect integrated total self, the balance of all our conflicting parts, we are beginning, to take control of o u r lives, and our w o r l d . The importance of this and tlie self-respect thai comes with it is immeasurable, and the healing i l brings is a necessity in a w o r l d w i t h all the faults of ours. By acting each minute as a religious/spiritual being, w e fully realize the beauty o l what w e can be, and the initial framework of this spiriloal living are The F i v e Points of Wiccan Belief{ By my nature, as a Wiccan, I relate aik everyday spirituality inlo Wiccan lerms, but it is essential, regardless of religion, to the w e l l being of humankind.)
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L i v i n g The Wiccan Rede: U p h o l d i n g tin- Rede can be a big part of living each day as a Wiccan, For the most part. Living ihe Rede is obvious, just d o n ' i cause, harm, but lei's face it. . . " D o n ' i s " aren'I enough. We k n o w what nor to d o . The following are some to-dos: -Tell the truth, and give up the facades w e develop to deal with that which w e d i s l i k e . -Get emotional, cry when y o u have l o and above a l l , leam from your mistakes. — D o things for no purpose other thaii being kind and creating a better universe. In Universal Eclectic Wicca w e requite community service of our members, but very few members need to be pushed that way. Random acis affect the Universe- Imagine how you've fell w h e n a parking meter's been paid for you. Well, go out and pay some meters, for c r y i n ' out loudl J
-Slow d o w n and smell the n»ses. Take a time out for beauty each day. Visit a museum, sniff a flower, contemplate your love intercsl. Beauty and love are like vitamins for your spiritual body -Stop complaining and D O sometlurig. l i y o u complain about politicians, but you don't vote, y o u are a part of the problem. If the smog bother, y o u on your drive into work, maybe yciu need to ship driving into work! If you like to w a l k through an uncluttered park, then pick i l up" -Respect each person equally whether 18 or fifl. whether family or foe. If y o u feel you must give more respect to ciders realize lhat each person is an elder compared to someone else. G i v e an extra degree of respect to those who'™ taken the time In listen to their inner selves and show the w i s d o m to prove it, regardless of age. With age comes w i s d o m , but only when it's nurtured. The wilder person w h o has spent their life gathering w i s d o m instead of w o o l is the true "older." I've met many an fUl year o l d without enough w i s d o m to fill a thimble, and a few toddlers who've made me rethink m y actions. A person's genetic relationship to y o u , their age or what they've done for y o u does not make them betler than y o u . If ever someone does not treat y o u w i t h h u m a n respect, demand it, it is your birthright, it is part of being a human being, and even |he most v i l e h u m a n out there deserves basic
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h u m a n respect, even i l we sometimes ETLLI^I take many rights away In protect the rest o l humankind, -Realize people make mistakes, forgive., but do no| forget, an "I'm sorry" without a promise o l change Is. not an apology. -Notice disturbing trends in your behavior, what do y o u do Ihal's negative? What problems do y o u have w i t h your friends, your community? What do y o u need lo change? L i v i n g The L a w of Return and The Ethic o l S e l l Responsibility: These two Ihings, w h e n put into everyday life, are inseparable... and simplistic; -Realize each action has consequences. - D o n i commit an action that y o u are no* ready l o d e a l with the consequences o l . -Take control of your faults and possession o l your doings. -Don't take the law into your hands unless that's your job. -If something is wrong, change it, within Ihe Rede and w i t h i n Ihe law-Llnjusllawb must change -Know Ihe W h y s o l the laws o l your landResources for Constitutional law in the U S are listed i n the appendices of this book, look them up and become informed. L i v i n g The Ethic o l Constant Improvement: A g a i n , this is fairly simple...Strive toward positive change a l all times. Don't stop learning- F i * what's broken, improve the Earth. L i v i n g the Ethic of A l l u n e m e n t : We live by the Ethic o l Attunement by setting aside a period of time on a regular basis [once a day, once a week, whatever) and using i| lo attune ourselves lo the three types of d i v i n i t y This attunement may be prayer, an offering, sacred lime in a garden, or the performance o l Ritual. We keep in m i n d at all times that what we do affects.everything about us, just as tossing a slone in slili water affects i l for meters i n any direction. Other ways of living each day spiritually are less religious, fusl pay atienthm is m y favorite. Remember that to be a good person is always
buttur tiıAn being ,ı bad person. A l l y child c i n tell y o u w h y h e r n * are beller than villains..,they're belter! H i g h Wiccan L a w ? N o . Simple common sense. •
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Morality in another one of those bad words we, as Wircans, a r r n ' l supposed lo use, ever. Well, guess what, w c n e e d to reclaim our m o r a l ' ity, and q u i c k l y . . . What does mcraHlw mean, anyway?? Morality is. very simply, living OUT lile ethically, w i t h i n the struc ture of our religion and our philosophy, i l is living Our life w i t h morals, ideals and archetypes that, by example, leach us thedilferencc between right and wrong- A g a i n , the effect of the journal is fell here, so gel i l out and have your pen ready...okay. Ready? #1: Jot d o w n ID things lhat you feel are " w r o n g " to do..,ever. U2: Jol d o w n 10 things thai y o u think aire socially wrong w i l h OUT culture. Mow, using the Five Points, and your other beliefs, ask yourself the following questions about each of these i terns: W h y is it wrong? Does it fall into a larger category of wrongdoing f.i.e.: lying, injuring?) H so. cre.ilea headinp,onyour page with the lille o l the larger category and l i s l a l l of your items w i l h that specification. What won 111 cause this problem to he eliminated or greatly reduced? What simple rules can I follow to prevent d o i n g these things? N o w , on a blank page, turn the above material into "1 will n o t " statements, bor example; Wrong: Religious intolerance. Social Wrong: Persecution of non-Christians in Supposedly nonreligious government. AnswETs: These things are wrong because they cause harm, and p u l a single group's beliefs above the beliefs o l everyone else. Mı: • I I discovered from these fads: Peli^ious persecution is harmful.
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W i l l n i l statement: I w i l l not prejudge Someone based On his Of her Religion. When yOU have finished ynur will not statements, re-read Ihem. Tills is ¿1 good deal ol your personal code of ethics. A d d will-not statements that you feel are missing, then label the page " C o d e of Ethics" Following these ethics is living a moral lite...not so b.id w h e n y o u ihink ol i l now, huh? The best thing about ihis moral code is l h a ! i l c a n change w h e n it has In. IE Ls not a morality served on stone ala burning bush, so y o u can disagree w i t h yourseli o n some things w h e n v o n change...and we do change. •
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The L a w of Return, thebeliel lhal what you put outcomes bach to you, is often tailed karma in the practice of Wicca. The Wiccan version o l karma can easily be used by the confused as a tool of victimization, anil tu say I've never heard a so-called Wiccan say that an innocent victim deserved their trauma w o u l d be an outright lie. Things happen, and very often thE'y a n not in our r o n l n i l . One of the reasons lhal many of these people w i l l give for b l a m i n g the victim is "past life karmic debt".-.that's just excrement! Mc»st of w h a l w e are taught about "past-lives" doesn't point tosuch things, and if they d i d . I don't think reincamadon w o u l d be incorporated into vVlcoa so of tenSure, reincarnation into a miserable life, may be punishment, b u l most rcincarnationisls say that y o u are reincarnated Into a non-human form as punishment, or into a human lilc that is pre-doomed, and y o u can always escape debt with w o r k . 1
When something bad happens. Ihe o n l y reason that may exist is the need for a celestial "wake-up call/' a lessim. so to speak. Some abuse survivors, w h e n asked what they w o u l d do if they could erase the abuse from their past actually say they w o u l d n ' t . ..not because w h a l happened to them wasn't bad, but because what happened to them made Ihem what Ihey n o w are, and what they are n o w isn't badl a c i n g trauma is a way o l learning hard taught lessons, and the skills
[L.imcd in surviving this, trauma are incredibly valuable in our lives. We've all seen the stereotype oi the k i d w h o has it all and unknowingly creates strife to ieam how in deal w i t h other problems, for many o l those w h o believe in reincaniadon. the trauma v o u live Is merely thai strife y o u ' v e created to Ieam. A negative cycle is created by this idea that karma, and reincamalion Jor i b a l mailer, are temporally linear. W i t h thai thinking, anything bad must be your fault, if not fur a w r o n g you've dune, than something you've brought upon vourseli for any number o l other reasons, and thus, still your fault This is post plain w r o n g , and in believing this y o u are contributing to trauma, and a d d i n g into your bad karma pooh Yes, much of what happens in your life can be attributed to something y o u have dune, but n o l all of it. These master lessons, especially the unavoidable ones, may appear without any fault of your o w n . Three major reasons for this uncalled for karma exist. The first is the simplest; y o u wore i n the wrong place at the w r o n g time- D i d y o u ever notice l h a l w h e n you hang out with the w r u n g crowd youget dragged u n w i l l i n g l y into whatever happens to them? This type of karma is called "Sympadietie K a r m a , " what thai means is that through nil fault of your ciwn, y o u feel the effects of another's karmic baggage. "Ibis person m a y be your friend, a passing stranger, whoever, and Ihere is nothing y o u can do about this except to be careful who you h a n g o u t with, good advice for any reason. The second type of this K a r m a is not really karmic at all- Have y o u ever heard someone having a bad day say "T have the feel ing someone is trying to tell me something?" That is am example of w h a l w e call "Unconscious Intervention," what that meians is tha t something, be it an eKtra'personal being or your subconscious, is saying, " H o l d it, w e need lo teach y o u a lesson and we need to teach it n o w ! " Unconscious intervention is usually recognized by the immediate effects, summed up in an " I ' l l never do that again" type statement A blatant example of this happened to a friend w h o was mugged. She had frequented a nightclub in a bad part of town, and w a s w a l k i n g there one night against the advice of friends when she w a s jumped, and her purse
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stolen. O n any other night that fihe had w a l k e d . She would'vo had her purse lull o l credit cards, her phone card and cash, hut she had acci dentally left her w a l l e l a I home, causing t h f loss or Ihe purse to he only a minor incident, brom that day forward, she never w a l k e d that route alone, the lesson had been laughtTlie third type of karma, and perhaps trie most difficult to grasp is I'reaclive Karma. T h a i İs, karma for things you haven'l done yet-This all goes back to QUI belief that lime is not linear, despite o u r linear movement within it. W h a l ihls means, in theory, is that y o u may be getting whapped by negative karma y o u haven'l earned yet I'm nut saving that this means y o u are predestined to earn this kanna, but this can mean that if y o u continue on this path you w i l l earn i l . N o ! chang ing your life after Such a warning can be vc?ry detrimental tu your spi r¬ itual and maybe physical health. It is m y opinion that w h e n tliese events are preactive, we generally k n o w it, k n o w why. and are capable of change- They are like ihc spirits visiling Scrooge in a Christmas Carol, w a r n i n g h i m of actions in the past and preseni, Iheir presence made just meaningless torture if he can't change the future By exercising our Irue w i l l and living morally, w e control the con trollable karma, and leam from w h y w e can't control the rest. By act ing on o u r morals, and becoming terminal do-gooders, karma becomes friendlier- In Universal Eclectic Wirea. members are asked lo contribute at least four hours a week to community service exclusive ol their coven. This may involve environmental or social issues, or jus! be simple acts of goodness, bul each time w e do good. we get good, it's just that easy. .
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One subject hard to discuss in m a n y religions is forgiveness. Forgiveness is difficult in a cuItureas steeped in guilt asmirs, and lei's face it, scapeguating. name-calling and the blame game are our national pastimes. One has only to turn o n any television and skip a few channels before we see the talk s h o w w i l h the dobious topic of
" w h y I can'l forgive so and s u . " We have become su wrapped up in condemning our fellow man thai we've forgotten the importance of forgiveness. We all make mistakes, and I'm afraid I have lo quote C h r i s ! here and say "Let he w h o is w l l h o u t sin cast ihe first stone." {Punch line: " T h w a p p p ! A w w w M o m ! " ) Tlie first forgiveness needed to move toward change is self-forgiveness, and from then?, we move o n to Using our wrongs- For some, the simple acknowledgment of "I messed u p " is enough, but for many odiers, forgiveness is to be divided into specific penance, and the basic Wiccan recipe for penance is fairly simple. Repay thrice over what y o u have taken, but never twice in the same way. bor instance, if you have damaged someone's car, first pay for the repairs and any other monetary repercussions, secondly, find something you can do fur die person without being noticed, and lastly, keep a watchful eye o n that person and present yourself in a time of need, perhaps more so than you normally would. If you feel y o u must, keep a r u n n i n g total of debts owed in your m i n d , or even in your journal. When y o u get the chance, pay off those debts, but don't write off the person afterwards. ..merely use them a s a path to discovering your helping niche. More importantly, though, stop trying to be perfect, no one Is falling for it, and it's doing you no good.--just be yourself, and make that as good as possible!
Chapter Three The Powers of the Universe
The power thai W k c a n s b e l i e v e inherent in all thing-, is broken d o w n Into The hour Elements, w h i c h , combined w l l h a lilth. Spirit, make up the basic building blocks o l OUT nature. These elements an? F A R T i 1. W A T E I i . A I R and FIRE, and while they are based In an Ancient Creek p re-scientific paradigm, today Lhey correspond to the four states o l matter, hi Wieea, these elements also are linked lo compass points, called quarters and the cardinal colors, and are said to represenl d ivine / metaphysical action. AIR Quarten East Color: Yellow O R White Altar looh Censer Sphere o l Influence; Cleansing Matter state: Ciaseous Ideal example: O x y g e n FIRE Quarter: South C o l o r Red Altar look Candle, A l h a m i , torch (varies by Trad)
Sphere ur Influence: Jostice. Vengeance tır Masculine power Matter state: Plasma Ideal Example: Flame Water Quarter: West Color: Blue Altar tool: Water, Goblet Sphere of Influence: Comfort, support, lellei of pain or feminine power Matter Slate; Liquid Ideal Example: Pure Waler, H j O EARTH Quarter: North Color; Green or Black, Brown (vanea by tradt Altar tool: Salt or penlacle Spilere u l Influence: G r o u n d i n g , FoCuS Matter Slate: Solid Ideal Example: Carbon The above represents the moni c o m m o n elemental correspondence, but it varies greatlv depending on sect and localinn. One group on the Northeastern N e w England coast places Water to tbe East and A i r lo tbe Wesl. to recognize die power of the sua and the land w i n d s near tbeir homes. A l t h o u g h most Wiceans begin their Rituals lo the east and circle around to represent tbe passage of the sun, many cbix>se lo begin a l i h c N o r d i or Soulh. and a group of Baidic Wiccans that I k n o w go North lo south to east to west and a r o u n d , lo represent the wander ing o l the ancient Bants which always bn>ught them homeIn Universal Eclectic Wicca. ihe elements also represent stales lo achieve, and in larger circles and some private ones, tbe elements are invoked as examples of our inner power. "That w e may he" like lhat element Visualization is often used to "'initiate" Ihe Wiccan to Ihe 111
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p a l h of thai element, arid (he inner powers Or stales discovered are used in Ritual and everyday life. These visualizations Include each element, with a fOCUfl on the power or one and the stale to he achieved - In group situations, these visualizations arc read by one person, often w i t h d r u m m i n g or instrumental music in the background, at home, a tape player should be used tu record the words of llie visualization until y o u no longer need them. Wear comlorlable clothes, even use a blanket it you w i s h , and lie on your back w i t h your hands o n your stomach. Breathe in slowly, then hold the breath for three seconds, then s l o w l y exhale- You should feel y o u r slomach rise w i t h each breath, if not. put a book or some small weight on your stomach and practice making i i move up and d o w n slightly with your breathing. Don't worry aboul d o i n g the visualizations N O W . just slow d o w n , be still, and w a i l for it lo come- You may w i s h to practice these breathing techniques without visualization for a short time each night until they become comfortable. ..if y o u fall asleep at any point, don't fret, it just means y o u reached a V E R Y intense p o i n l o f reia-alion, and y o u probably needed the sleep more than y o u needed ihe visualization. Distraction during visualization s h o u l d be avoided, and this includes "Ohmigods I gotta go to work in t w o hours" so practice visualizalion with a loose schedule, and t u r n off the television and the radio- A l t e r a while, the stales you may achieve through visualization may become instant, and then distraction doesn't matter, heel free lo change any aspects y o u feel uncomfortable w i t h i n Ihe visualization. 11 sitting in a chair or a Yoga stance works better for y o u . then, do it. These are all suggestions, none of this is w r i l t e n in stone. .
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G r o u n d i n g ; The Earth Visualization Lie flal nn your back in a field, if you d o not have access to a field, lay o n a floor and first visualize through the steel, w o o d and concrete. Feel yourself falling until y o u are lying i n the dust below your foundation, and " T o u c h " the permeable earth that's there...
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Reach through the. d r i l l into the liny -w or m hol es permeating the soil, f e e l each nerve o n your linger extend forward like a rool hair sys tem. You CBlWOt move yon r fingers. The enwiures of the soil, things you once feared perhaps, pass oner you. through the strands of your hair. Your hair grows impossibly fast, rooting itself to the ground, entangling itself with yUur lingers. Yün Cannot mOtv your head.-. An energy tingles in ycujr cliest. and all the stresses and anxieties grow out as roots through your body and hairs, strengthening you, reaching miSesand mites doum to an uruti-rground lake. You ferl from above as each rool plungi-s into the earth manned loatet, and as the very last root plunges in, you feel a hitler cold taking over Ihe rest of you. trying lo suck every inch of warmth from \four bones. You Jeel tlie cold sucked ihroufçlı tire rest ofyour botiy toward the roots, heai slowly reluming to your face. You see Ihe cold sucked into Ihe water, forming a silverisli slick tlutt bubbles slowly as the pure water milks it from your roots. A wi'td springs up in the underground cavern, twisting the ends of your roots and tossing the silivr about frantically, painting the nulls with it Uird Ihrowing your roots around viciouslu. Only ihe knarled roots of your worries are affecteil, twisting, bending, but irci'cr breaking, still holding you as firm as you need. WrtJioiJF warning, the wind subsides. The silver light coı<e>ş everything except Ihe water, trihieh is clear once more. The rocks, your roots, eieu the walls ofthccai'ern allglou with Hvlighl. 1
The loarrntli of the lake puslies into aou. rcpiacing lolrnt the storm drained. You feel Ihe pulse of the water, though you*..though Ihe earth...Ihe heal rushes through n v r y inch of ifl>u. . .ı' oca bcigtn to notice Hie tight flouring, moriing itiilh the pulse, slowlu creeping lou
ila\tlj lo yen, tuiVrrrry jou in a living, pulsing -Jiitid. ,|,
A column of steam rises from Ihe water, and you feel the heal blocked by Ihe creatures. They melt into everri inch of you as the steam and loaicr buffet aau. keeping you from burning and tempering into a solid coal of light". Your stresses, thus transmuted, ilrc steam slops, and your mots slowly retract.
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bringing ihe light into your bod\i.. .you feci it junt benetiih the nkitt. a iiugle of deeper strength. As you open your cues, you know it's there-..you are aware of Ihe difference, and thin feeling, this memory is forever. You pre changed...you are grounded. M a n y (bnl n o l all] people experience grounding the lirst lime they practice this visualization. It is not actually a metamorphosis, b u l a way of rerouting power into a fotce y o u already possess. Hot some, merely l y i n g in bed, or any other personal place, is a way lo achieve this stale...experiment. When y o u achieve tliat anchored (eeling. try to remember the sensation in delail- Practice w i l l make ilcomeeasier• • • 1
The Womb: The Water Visualization For this exercise, y o u want tu lie on y o u r bach, w i t h your arms crossed over yourchesl. The Healing stale we're attempting to achieve here is the "mentally pure" state that some riluals, especially healing rituals call for. 11 you have already achieved a grounded stale, try grounding yourself before attempting |he visualization Transference from one stale to die next is easier than transference from everyday action to Metaphysical action. I've iisled the states in order of easiest lo hardest for this purpose. (Lf y o u have a rape o l ocean waves, p l a y it now, if y o u have an Ocean D r u m , fry sitting in a comfortable chair w i t h the Ocean Drum on your lap and slowly rock in a circular motion, if y o u have no way lo hear waves. youTI just have l o listen to your heartbeat and imagine the rushing i n and o u l of sound.) Breathe in, arid let that breath be Ure sloio roll of the wooes coming in lo shore, breathe out. feel it roll aivtiy let thin eo'itinue. the rolling in and out. until you begin to feel a tightness around your body. .-imagine the soft feel of -warm water an it laps at your toes, your fret, your tinkles, lifting them from Ihe ground and geiuly pulling vot\ into the water. Your legs, hips, back, touch the water as you float up- carried on ihe surface of Ihe water effortlessly, and at ouie. you're floating, idmcd by tile warm UVler with nafcar of sinking.
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Vt'aıes increase in speed, palling you fariller from Sata! loith eaclı nta/ doumbfül, and you begin iv (eel the SUM beating upon you, trying to sink you benerrih the mm a'ith a h<-at i/ca fvl like a physical pressure. Tire ztuter beneath uou rumbles in fierce pwtectitvness, and uou are rushed upwatd bnvard a deep blue sky. Impossibly light, ftm an- tasked off of the cresting wOOcs and into the sky. where y)u gently lift into an ttpdriift. then ipiraldown onto a oulsltetelied arm of water, which caresses your body as you laud, pulling uou down beneath the wooes. Your firs! breath ns you sink is difficult, bul tour bodrj readjusts to Ihe act of noter breathing, renumbering pre-lnfancy instinct. The warmth fills you. inside and out, as you are tossed gently, current to current. The ti-aier gentlyflow?through uotrr l/air. pulling moay the dirt of the common world and leaving you pure and h\nocent- You see yourself rush ing touurd lite skiu of ilte after, the sunlight playing on it tike a fragmented mirror, thai seems more and more solid as you flow closer. You hit the barrier, and feel it refuse to t/ield. The pressure builds up behind uou. pushing Itarder. and you arelhrusl out. taking uourfirsl breath of air fiolentlv and loud, the pressure exploding from your body. Pulled on by a million genlle fingers, you are carried to the sltore. u here tlte earth grou-s H M beneath vourfeCt. You are truly reborn. TJEC
A s ivith the other visual izations, this is. urtly a suggestion, a tech nique thflr may or may n o l help y o u experience this sensation. A g a i n , w e deal here w i l h the difficulty of our languages, for these stales, being person.il and varied, ate indescribable as, well.
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Astral Consciousness; The A i t Visualization A i r is n o l o n l y an element of purification, b i n is also ihe elemeni o i the free m i n d . Pnr that reason, students of astral projection often use visualizations as "launching boards" i n l o Iheir astral iravels. i make no claims about the validity of Astral Travel, because there is n O S b i d definition of il, and no grounded scientific proof. In no way am I say¬ ing i l does not exist eiiher, discussion of such levels of metaphysics are best left to metaphysical turnes, not books o n Wicca. Let me reiterate
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here, that Magick. Metaphysics and " N e w A g e " practice:, are something many Wiccans do. b u l are n o l part o f the actual religion. K i l u a l Magiek, w h i c h in really advanced prayer, w i l l tie covered i n a later chapter. Sell-hypnosis is recommended for this visualization, or ¿1 period o l meditation preceding II. If y o u find th.il the imagery makes y o u uncomfortable, hut n o l enough to w a n l l o not d o it. y o u m a y w i s h to cast a circle {next chapter) ur wear a "protective" piece o i jewelry. Another idea, carry a small slone in y o u r hand, lo remind y o u o l "earth" The deep breathing you do here s h o u l d be enough lo keep you from ieeling weird, but if y o u feel that y o u are out-of-body prone, d o what y o u need to d o to ground yourself ox give yourself "protection" from a possible negative experience. If yQU have enough Metaphysical background to enter reverie while performing this visualization, a l l the bettor for you. begin with the breathing you'w used in other exercises, but with each exhale, feci your extremities slowly begin logo numb...first your fingers and hies, the year hands Midfeet, all tire way up to yejjr nick... try not to moot these numb parts, but let twitches, and other unconscious movements happen. When only your head seems moveable, visualize a network of threads of Sight holding you down. You cart feel these threads holding down your power, but as yon assert yourself the tiny threads begin lo snap, your body slcrwly mining o> each thn.-\id ceases to hold you dmm, You float earetcs-Ju rrrruuyrr tlv air turning to see your motionless body lying on the floor i-ehind you. You smile, and a feu- seconds pass before the snrile readies uour face below uou. You notice a silver umbilical cord lying uou to your tiody. which is safe on Hie guardian earth, without a further care, uou turn nnd drift up. through the rafters, the roof, whatever, into the night sky. You push yourself up. {optional; past the lights of the cily, the smog and heal until you come ¡0 pure air) into a black sky dotted leith millions of stars. A wind carrying an eleClrie charge SO fierce that you can smell it, pustiesyou around unlit you are inches away from a wall of glowing light, winch shimmers with pjilses of color like minute lightning flashes. You reach oul and touch the wall, and are sucked into a fast moving stream of light and air. which carries you impossibly fast From your r
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positron within tlie wail, you can get Üre semi-sphere of a far-off eartli. bluegreen and brown behind you. the lights ofcities twinkle tike Christmas tights, adding to its splendor, and a network of paths similar to the one you ore orr encircle it in a warm net. You step oul of the wall into another and are pulled in another direction, toward black clouds that butt up against each other in angry protest. You enter these clouds, dropping Out of the energy Stream, and feel the caress of lightning as il passes through uou. A weight begins lo fill you. nml uou drop several inclres. tire pressure •strong enough to make uou feel as if you're about lo explode. With a great rip of thunder, the rain begins and the pressure begins to ease. Hie water pouring through the clouds and through you onto the ground below. Rained oul. you feel a little drained, so you hook the energy stream once more, feeling its energy revitalize you. You float some more, allowing yourself to be tossed jîinjjjf by the wind and tire energy fields, until you see a circle of stones beneath you. like Stonelıenge. onlu smaller. You touch upon Hie stone at Ilır center of the ring and feel an energy from it. sim ilar lo the one in the wall. You allow yourself io pin with the stone's energy fora moment, then press off once more, finding an equilibrium between the draw of tire earthy Stone and tile airy fields of errergy. You point a finger at the stone, and a line ofenergy crackles from your hand and reaches it. You can see energy from the stone trickling into Hie line, and feel it filling your hand, with your other hand, you create a line between your body and the energy field above you. and for a few moments, you are pidled by tlie two forces, which yield to you and begin to strengthen you. After a few moment*, you allow the Sines to disintegrate, knowing you can draw in no more power. You place uour Imnds palm topalın and a globe of energy forms around you. You concentrate for a moment, noticing the umbilical thai stretches the miles lo your body. You watch as it detaches from you and attaches to the bubble. There is a slid ing sound, and your ears pop. and you find yourself standing above your Ivdy. You stretch out your hands, aıui t lie I'ubble nvlds into the body as energy Crackles from your hands and is pulled into the body. You allow your left hand to drain itself dru. and l>vn watch as your right liand logins to dis integrate, fingers, arms, shoulder, all forming into lines of Sight, you Sook briefly before you allow yourself lobe fully draion back, and notice the smile is still there, peaceful, wui serene...You notice us you regain control of your
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Sinus thai She little threads do not reform. you've escaped them, and if they comeback, il u-itt beat your request.
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"This is only a test.. The Fine Visualization The Fin? Visualization creates Ihe mindset o f a challenger, a very powerful thinking and leeling method, w h i c h w e train ourselves i n . The Fire consciousness is usefully invoked at any time where w e must be • • . M I through pain, o r even i n s o Called "lesser Stresses like exams, or defending a thesis. There is a feeling o l being d r a w n or directed i n this visualization, like the soul has more important things to do than the body. This can help put y o u into perspective about your l i f e - A r e your greatest worries ready as bad as all that? r
Begin this visualization like the other ones, only be sure you're w a r m w h e n you d o it. a friend o f mine suggests using ihe visualization while tanning, but I love m y skin too much hi try- This visualization is besl done d u r i n g ihe day, although a more imaginative person m i g h l imagine traveling around the w o r l d before rising into the sunIf, at anytime, y o u are uncomfortable, then change the visualization. Remember never do anything y o u don't want to do' You feet your rwJif diasoiiWg, breaking down into spherical molecule* of S>lack carbon. You are all at once, more aware of your being than ever. Your heart still beats, your lungs siiH breatlie. but you are made of millions of seething particles. Breathe deep and lei the particles float tike a flock cf swatSows into ilte sky. You curve, you undulate, but all'lie wSiiic you arc one. held togellter by Ihe invisible threads of molecular bonding. You area great cloud of smoke across the sky turning ihe sun blood red as it passes through you. You stand, at once, both under and above uour-sclf. You touch ita: naitecutes of smoke and they cling to your mind's fingers, lifting uou up. up into the blood red sunlight. Your mind's eyes closefi
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warms as you approach the sphere. You feel uour blooii pounding drrrcf notice it's the pounding of the sun. in. hold, oul. you breathe, red, gold, orange. It faslies. The beat grows louder. Red. Orange. Gold. You stretch uour fingers toward the sun and they ore tinged with the clear white of diamonds and quartz, the color drained away into the pounding sun. Your Iwdy tingles with the heat, like a hot shower after 0 cool swim, tl/ld you breathe through it. in. out. in. until the heat becomes soothing instead of harsli- The colors eliange, Rett. Orange. Gold. Violet. White. Blue. Theheat is so intense it actually cools uou. This is the heat of winlergreen. of menthol, and ihe dust ol your magic carpet is the crystal blue-wlute of ash so purr it resembles snow. A yellow haze forms between uou and Ihe sun, so large now that you can see nothing the. The yellow haze comes closer and uou see tliai it is a wall of pale fire. Us color lite color of fresh lemons, tinged on the outer edge with the btiur-rotule of the lioltest flames. Willi a whoosh uou pass through it. and II clings lo uou like some kind of membrane. Tla- sun is now ilw deep red color of burning coals and you turn, feet towards the sun and gently foal to the surface, held aloft for ages by the Ivat while pulled forward by the inescapable gravity. Your feet touch the Spongy surface of the Sun. and yOu feci no more tllan the deep heat of your blood. The pounding turns metallic, and you walk towards it. A being of pure fire appears before you. Ir/nnmering a crystal blade at a forge. He points behind uou and uou see uour footprints Tingeringon the sun, a patch of black-red coals llait ignite slowly into the red of the faming ground beneath you. You turn back lo him and he Irolds the stoord out lo uou. hill first. Yon lake it. and he turns into a giant lizard of flame, the great salamander. He roars ul yOu. and you recognile it as a challenge. The sword pulses in your hand as Ihe salamander swipes at you. You dodge and he swislies his liiard laii at uou. uou dodge once HUM and sioing ihe ^unrJ in a wild arc at the creature. In the moment of connection, the salamander's lizard-like face is aglow with pride in you. his student. His head connects with llic blade arui disappears in a puff of white Smoke. The body fzzles away in a cloud of sleUtti and you find yourself walking through dense orange-linged fog. The ruins of a great marble temple are before yon. and you slep up upon a nuirblc dais, soft and cold beneath your ash coveted feet. A woman, clad in a white gown nods at you and holds her hattd out. You give her the sword and she gestures for
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UQU to teach into a Smalt welt and reinOoe the huge gent thai ties within it. As you tlft Ihe gem a jet of rvhite flame pushes you up, up Into ihe sky and aivau front the surface of the sun. The gent pulls i/nu into blackness, and then, stotely uou approach the earth. The blackness turns to tint M the gem points yourfeet towards home- It quivers in your grip and pults away from you, and you find yourself ptui'tnteling back tourard the earth tuui slummirtg uOa into your body as the gem climbs deeper inlo space. Before you can brealhe another breath, oou see the gem. through lite roof, through tlie sky. as it eiptodes in white hot fire unda star appears In Ihcheaoena. Your star. This visual i zatinn is optional, more sn i h a n Ihe others, in a Universal Eclectic Wicca Circle-, instead ol iLsing visu.ilization to discover ihe lire consciousness, w e usually suggest a tesl of some kind, a rear one might need lo conquer. A "trial by Fire" often İTO very little to do w i l h the actual elemeni, and more to deal with what is called its Sphere o l In İtilence. The Sphere of Influence of an element includes Ihe spiritual and mythological meanings a person or culture attributes t o i l . » * »
Ihe Pentagram and the Lesser Elements The four elements have a great deal of symbolism attached l o themIndividually, tile elements are often represented by shapes, runes ur symbols. M a n y traditions have different symbols for Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit, and some people encourage creating your o w n . When writing in a runic alphabet without capital letters or writing in a second language, using symbols, pictogrBpha or a special color to rep resent each element, can make it much easier Co distinguish between a fire (light a fire) and Fire (Light a candle to represent Fire). Spirit, the liftti Element, is sometimes nut symbolized at a l l . This could be because it is n o l a p a r t of the boundary of ihe Circle or because many fradi hons don't consider S p i n t as something invoked by the per son casting the circle, l l is a more ethereal clement, brought lo the circle by the practitioner and symbolized by the altar- When represented asa group, the five elements are of ten symbol used bv the pentagram, a five
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pointed stat in ,ı circle, with Spirit a l the hip, ı: I the remaining points corresponding to barth. Air, hire and Water. The order of these points varies from group to group as do, occasionally, the names of the elements. There is a l o l o i myth and mystery regarding the pentagram. Many Pagans d a i m that the pentagram, with one point u p , represents "good ness" and w i t h two points up, represents "darkness." Tliis is actually hogwash- Historically, the pentagram has been used by Jewish, Christian and indigenous faiths w i t h One. point up, (WO points up, or " s k e w e d , " without a line of symmetry d o w n the middle, in Wicca, the pentagram is often used w i t h one point u p to distinguish it from The Church of Sa&n's use of it, which is always two points up. in the short history of M o d e r n Wicca. the one point u p pentagram has become the norm, although established traditions still use two points up to repre sent "male" or "the G o d " and one point up to represent female, or "the (."ioddess." M a n y traditions also nse variations on the position of the pentagram to indicate degree, or rank, w i t h i n die tradition. 7
Another common myth of the pentagram is the use of the word "pentacle." One need only enter the w o r d s pentaele and pentagram into a search engine to turn out dozens of webpages insisting the name for the
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In some traditions, the areas between the point!, uf the pentagram encompass what are called the "lesser" elements. Lesser Elements are com hi nations o i two Greater Elements, although a sub-element is ollen implied, lor Instance, smoke, which i s suspended pieces of solid matter (earth) is said lo be of Earth and A i r , but a sub-element of Fire can be i m p l i e d . In some Fam-Trads. there is mention of the "EverContinuing Pentagram". In its basest form, this pentagram can be begun by forming a second pen bade w i t h i n Ihe first, w i t h each of its lines ihe " c h i l d r e n " of the elements. It's important to notice that the Circle or pentagon around the pentagram also represents a series of lines and elements. T i e following Is generally agreed to be the First set of "lesser" elements invoked in some traditions of Wicca, but there is little if any Corroboration between trads of the lesser elements beyond them. Parent Element (fir Air Air Air Air Fire Fire Fire Water Water Earth
Parent Element «2: Fire Water Earth Spirit Water Earth Spirit Earth Spirit Spirit
Lesser Element: Electricity Clouds Smoke Wind Steam Magma Lightning Geysers. Springs Rain Earthquakes
I've only seen a few Wiccan circles when? the lesser elements were invoked, and they were eilher weather-relaled rituals or large group circles where invoking each of these elements gave more people tilings to do. They are useful, however, w h e n p l a n n i n g circles relating to things like rain or storms. A blessing ritual I k n o w of has protected one house i n a tornado-prone spot for years, and the words " f i r e " and " s p i r i t " are carved i n T h e b a n script on a friend's lightning r o d . . .
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Dil they work? SLıti^ticiilly, w t! realİv d o n ' l ha ve the numbers to say. and no one offers a charm ot spell as a panacea. M y friends in Tornado Alley in Karens still have a very solid house and a storm cellar, m y friend w i t h die lightning rod didn't write f h c words on his roof lo keep the lightning away, because that just w o u l d n ' t have workedAnother friend summed it up ibis w a y . . . " I f y w see .1 zealous Christian walking into a Lion's den. y o u k n o w he's got a lot of faith. If you see a Wiccan walking into a lion's den, y o n k n o w he's a lion lamer." N o w , this Isn't mean! as a slam against Christians, nor do I believe all lion tamers to be Wiccan, this just illustrates an aspect of our religion. In Wicca, we believe that the G o d s fully intend for us to have a plan D, and that using that plan is apart of living within our ReligionThe knowledge of things like lightning rods and structural damage capacity are tools to forge our plan Bs, tools given to us by the Gods, and/or the Inner divinity. U s i n g these loota expresses their holiness. The Elements are also tools, tools thai w e use to make things work "that much more" in our favor. We do not try to control the Elements, or anything else for tliat matter. Many unfamiliar with it feel that the use of Ritual Magick is an attempt to supersede G o d , and wrest power from h i m and steal it for our o w n ends. Ves, as Wiccans, we do seek power and control, but only power and control over the one thing w e have the right to control.--ourselves. Remember, control of other peo ple/things destroys iheir Will, and destroying the W i l l is causing h a r m . . . Wiccans strive first to do no harm.
Chapter Four The Wiccan Circle
In chapter tWO We redefined the w i n d sacra I as : •. . • i 11 . "those things which, by bringing LIS closer l o ourselves, bring us closer l o divinity." In on r f i i llu n? of over-population and possessiveness, Ihe idea of space as sacred is prclty hard l o grasp. In Wicca. w e believe that everything is sacred, especially the land, and our belief is that y o u can buy Land, but y o u can't o w n it. The idea of an area as sacred and therefore "special'' is hard lo grasp in a standard context and w e lind ourselves once more w i l h the spirilual blue pencil, editing the dictionary in our heads. i n Wicca, sacred space comes in two distinct types. The first, a new trend, involves the b u y i n g , salvaging and naturalizing of land, or the act of buying and setting aside land in trusts and private parks. There is a land rush going o n , and one need only look at the side of any highway tu see buildings where fields were a year, even a month ago. The p urpose o l entrusting land is to assure that our children have land and Ibat we have oxvgen. One group of people b u y i n g land has stated that if w e each buy one square mile of land and allow it to produce oxygen w i t h indigenous plants and organic gardens, w e can grind the outward growth of cities- lo a hall, making communities turn i n w a r d lo restoration of dying neighborhoods and reuse of damaged land. Their theory works like this: W h e n you drive along an interstate and see a few acres for sale here, and a few acres for sale ihere, don't look at it
and say T d buy i l , but 1 don't w a n i to l i v e next to a highway." say. "1 belter buy i l before some fool stops that o t y g e n from undoing some of the damage o l this highway." Don't look at unosed land as needing to be p n l to good work, see it doing its job. By b u y i n g it, and not building on it, we are putting it to the best work there isTlie second, and vastly different form o l sacred apace that Wiecans use is " w o r s h i p space." our temples or churches. Wicca needs no buildings for its practice, because the " c i r c l e " or temple of Wicca can be built, used and taken d o w n in mere moments. It is a building made ol energy, belief and W i l l , and can be outside, inside, underground or wherever else the practitioners wish. i l . M a n y Fam-Trads slate that the reason for the moveable church is a matter of persecution or politics, the need to hide w h e n the preachers come and act like good Christians. This may well be true, but H i t were the whole truth, Wicca w o u l d now operate out of churches as surely as any other minority religion. Other people s i m p l y say it's a mailer of money, and that Wiccans, as a p o p u l a t i o n , just don't have the fundsThis. too, may be tnLe, but the most definite reason for this transportable church is probably the Wiccan belief that, since the entire w o r l d is sacred, the entire world can be used as a c h u r c h . " i l y o u asked lifty Wiccans " w h a t " a circle is, y o u ' d probably gel a hundred answers, half of w h i c h would seem lo conflict- The Wiccan Circle defies tolal explanation, in ils simplest form, it's an area marked out, declared in a ceremony, and used d u r i n g a ritual as a place- In metaphysical terms, the circle is a place where the physical w o r l d is lell outside and the Spiritual w o r l d is as touched upon as much as it can he b y physical beings. The Circle contains the power or energy raised until i l is released, and keeps negative energies out. It is marked out through varying methods, a few of w h i c h I'll detail later in this chapter. The average Circle is open to a l l , and all those w h o stand w i t h i n are charged "Let none be here but of their o w n free w i l l " and " L e i none leave but with good reason till the temple be c l e a r e d . " The Circle is a receptacle for energy, and leaving in the middle of a ritual without 12
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good reason Is not only a faux-paa of the Wiccan culture, b u l is said to disrupt those energies gathered within. O n l y w h e n let go by those w i l b i n Ihe circle Ho Ibp energies have direction, and n n l y hy heing gathered w i t h i n the Circle do the energies, achieve the "critical mass" needed to be pushed toward that direction- In a religion that believes energy Inherent in all life, the idea of a circle to "contain it" may seem absurd, b u t d i d y o u ever try to drink a rainstorm? O n l y by using a cup can we gather enough water to quench ouc thirst. The Circle is the cup w e contain those energies i n . Starhawk, in Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of Ute Great Goildcss, n-fers to the casting of the Circle tcs "an enacted meditation." w h i c h "resonates through layers of meaning to awaken an aspeel o l ourselves." Indeed, the Circle is the home of the Spiritual Side that w e need to integrate to become whole entities, and the practice of Ritual is to that aspect of the Total Self what food is to our physical body. The Circle is the gateway to the Elemental States detailed earlier, a mental and subconscious trigger thai tells our inner selves to "pny attention, this is Important* Casting the circle is like tapping Into our soul and letting our inner thoughts and feelings rule us instead of soci ety's rules, at least fur a time. 111
When y o u find something that works for y o u w h e n casting a circle, try lo integrate that aspect into the casting of every Circle- I'm not say ing that a perfect set of words or gestures will work every time, but a few things used most of the time can enhance the experience for y o u , and help you achieve that inner holy state the circle c i l i s for, these can include; -WeaHng a special garment, like a robe, or going Skyclad, -Wearing your hair differently or Ritual face/body painting. -Special Jewelry only w o r n in circle, o r almost always w o r n , b i d onlv visible in circle _i
-Special ing first -Special s i d e " of
anointing oils or perfumes, such as clary sage o i l , or wash with a certain kind of soap. incense or smudge used every time, but never used "out the circle-
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- A special place where your circle is east, o r certain tool* y o u use often. Avoir! using the same exact words every time y o u cast Ihe Circle, insrcad. fry fo tailor the act to the moment and situation. II y o u d o have a special relic that helps put you i n your mental sacred state, don't feel that y o u can't do a circle without it in a pinch. Substitution and adaptation area b i g part o i Wicca, a n d are nothing to be ashamed o l . Remember, as long as you are lullow ing Ihe basic tenets of Wicca. y o u are as Wiccan as anyone else, and n o t h i n g makes you any more or less " r i g h t " lhan another Wiccan- IE soemthing works for y o u , it's right for y o u . r
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The bive Questions Usually Asked by Someone aboui lo Cast Their hirst Circle In m y years .is a student, ami later as a priestess. I've heard these questions asked more than any others by people w h o want to cast a circle but are afraid that they'll get iE " w r u n g - " #3 J How do f know I hitue the siijfl lo cusl a circle, don't i need lobe initialed Jo have Ihe poioer to do ill W r W r i does the Priesi/Prlesless give we the power for this? If y o u are alive, you have the power to cast a circle- In an initiation, y o u are not " g i v e n " power, in some circles, the initiation may include some directions for raising a n d using this power, hut Universal Eclectic Wicca has n o mandatory initiations. We believe birth to this pkmet is initiation e n o u g h A dedication rite is more than suitable. Initiations are only provided at special request, usually i n instances where the student has had a Iran made life experience and feels a need lobe "reborn." When an initiation is done, it should he an initiation into a new life, not into Wicca o r a tradition of Wicca. A n initiate should always be able to take him/herself out of the religion without denying the new life they've made.
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§2: Haw do I kotow if I'm netting it right? OR # 3 : Haw do I know if I'm doing it wrong? Like breathing, casting a rirclp for ritıiRİ Lisp is A natural b o d y / m i n d function thai can't truly be done wrong. With practice, further visuali zation, repetition, research and the inevitable change, your circle w i l l grow to metaphysical perfection, hut until then, y o u still can't gel it wrong. II y o u intend to pursue Ceremonial Magick, you may have very intricate Circle rituals, designed to protect you from the forces y o u are w o r k i n g with. That's that set of beliefs, not Wicca- A Wiccan circle can be as complex or as simple as you want. I f s your call. #4: What if i haiv to leave during the Circle? II happens. M a n y of U F W ' s Current standing Clergy ale doctors, so it probably happens more to us than to most. In a personal circle, it's best to enrl it, go rio what yoo need to d o , then re-cast when you're done. In a group circle, it's best lo be "let o u l " by the person w h o cast, but larger circles are uncomfortable to d i s r u p t It's best to plan lor these Contingencies with tile person casting tile circle, and gel permission lo leave i l something comes up. Most of the time, the circle is leit through a " d o o r " c u l in Ihe side of the circle w i l h the Athamé. amil repaired from outside by being " u n d r a w n " and sealed with a pentacle drawn in the air above the cut- In the event ihat the person w h o created the circle has to leave, a second should takeover leading the circle, someone cho sen ahead of time to prevent the moments of inevitable chaos that "tak ing over" involves. II y o u have lo leave, w i t h the caster's permission, tracea rough oval or rectangle in the air of the circle w i l h the Athame or right hand, if you're left handed, or ambidextrous, y o u m a v w i s h to use bolh hands, or use the left...in some circles, they believe thai left handed people work energies backwards, and your priesl[ess) or ieacher may ask y o u to cast your circles counterclockwise and other such reversals. Since our circles incorporate the land, I don't think handedness is that Important. A l t h o u g h some Wiccans in the southern hemisphere may work differently, I think that clockwise is the way to go for most of us.
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After you've stepped through, close thi? d o O f b y retracing the shape w i t h the A t h a m i or hand and visualize the undoing o l ihe cut. Depending on ynnr group, y o u may then trace a pentacle or a Celtic cross Lo strengthen Ihe weakened space.
t5: What degree dol need ftj achievt In cast a Circle for a coven? You can casta personal circle at any degree, but casting a circle lor a coven in Universal Eclectic Wicca is done by whoever the coven leels comfortable with, usually a second or third circle member or a KriesLfess! it's generally a question of experience, if y o u know how, do it for a group, if y o u d o n ' l . practice at home. A s w i t h any activity in Wicca, if casting for a group makes, you uncomfortable don't do It. a
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Tile Circle...Guidelines Almost every Wiccan circle follows a set of guidelines, sometimes sarcastically called a recipe. Think of it as a list of ingredients and an order of operations. N o matter what tradition y o u belong to, chances are you cast yngr circle along these lines: -Physical Demarcation of Boundary; C h a l k lines, string, colored tape and other ways of physically d r a w i n g a circle o n the ground. This also Includes placing of the altar in the Center o l east of the circle and using candles to mark out the boundaries. -Announcement: The Priest(ess) or caster announces the intention of the Circle and sets rules, often reciting the Wiccan Rede or a Charge specific to their tradition¬ -Creation ol Elemental Boundaries: Lighting of die candles lo represent the elements and especially Fire, lighting incense lo purify and invoke Air. use of Salt (earth) and Water. Usually this also involves walking around the circle, another way of physically marking the circle. -Vlsuaiization/creabon of Metaphysical Boundaries: Usually this is done by tracing ihe circle i n the air above the physical boundaries, while visualizing white or blue light surrounding Ihe circle-
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-Welcoming of Coveners:(omit in solitary circle*) Most Eclectic leads cast the circle w i d i die coveners already inside the area, lo avoid weakening the circle hy cutting a door in it. A t this point, the Coveners in these tradsare generally greeted by tlic leader/pricst(css) w i d i a handshake, hug, kiss, whatever, (again, this i s by tradition-} In the other trads. diis is when the d rele is opened and the coveners. are let in. -Welcoming of Gods: This is w h e n the G o d s are invited into the circle to be a pact of and bear witness lo the rites. Never demand of the Gods. It's just not the way w e d o things. ID a Universal Eclectic Wicca Circle, tbe "General G o d s , " the Lord and Lady, are welcomed here. W h e n the term " L o r d and L a d y " is used, the individual is encouraged to insert iheir Patron/Matron Gods, keeping in m i n d that all gods an? facets o n that gem of truth we mentioned earlier and it is impossible lo welcome i n a part widiout welcoming in the whole. -Announcement of Completion: The caster announces the circle is complete, and warns people to not leave w i t h o u t reason until it ia dissolved. Usually the caster then says "so mote it be," w h i c h means essentially "so it shall be," or "make it this way." all of which are definitions of the non-Wiccan term " a m e n . " I n groups w h o are comfortable with it, " A m e n " is a reasonable replacement for So Mote It Be, but So M o l e It Be Is a term that earlier Wiccans and Magickians used and it somehow seems to reach deep inside of u s . I, personally use, " M a y M y W i l l and T h y Will he one," and maybe I ' l l explain it in deplh sometime, but not now. I don't feel I can stress enough the importance of doing w h a l works. If A m e n carries power for y o u . then use i t
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The Tools In Wriccan practice there is a sel of tools commonly used in Ritual Substitutions are encouraged, so next H u e you're bummed Out about not being able to afford thai obsidian A t l i a m e at " K i l u a l Stud is U s , " remember the First Witches and think, "ya know, what d i d they
have?" I've listed the h>ols frum most Önen used i f l most Obscure, with common synonyms and easy pronunciation. AHıamc": "fclh-uh-nıay" spelled w i t h or without an accent. A l s o caller! the Right-handed knife, Dlack-hiJted knife. Sorcerer's knife, Ihe Blade. Dagger, air dagger, skylonth, e*eali bur (meaning aword of qual¬ ity. i am told.J and probably a couple hundred other names. This is the workhorse of Ritual items, the most c o m m o n l y used item that can be used as a substitute for many others. It is a dagger with a blade that is usually triangular and double edged (in places where double-edged knives are illegal, many Wieeans leave one side ol the blade "thick" or un5harpened, since the knife is not used as a weapon, and usually isn't sharpened completely anyway, w h y botiier with a court case w h e n neglecting a whetstone makes it legal?J It is almost always made of metal, different trads call for iron, copper, steel or silver, but since Universal Eclectic vVlcca operates on a belief ol personal divine aspects, the M / P a h o n G o d s , it would depend o n personal attunem a n t For a follower dedicated to Diana tile best knives are probably silver, for Thor, probably steel. Some G o d s won't be obvious, feel free to experiment. Size varies f m m about 8-16 inches. The Athame is never used as a weapon, although some traditions speak of " Iraitors" to the craft being slain by their own blade. I find this very unlikely since most of Ihe older trads speak of "Nemesis raking her o w n , " or another form of retribution- U s e d instead of: w a n d , h a n d , sickle, sword, bolüne, staff
Eland: located on the side of yoor wrist opposite yoor arm, usually used in ritual with the first two lingers extended and the thumb hold ing the other two, I've included " h a n d " a? a tool because it's used so often and is considered to be diftereilt w h e n used dlis way. W h e n using vour hand instead of an Athame or w a n d , visualize it as a focus point hır all of your energy. The hand has Ihe unique benefit of being
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tool y o u probably already have. Used instead o f Athamú. w a n d , sword, cord, goblet, anointing slick, slalf. İ h ı ; OTIC
Wand: ii length of w o o d , cither 13 inches long (the number o l full moons in a year) or the lenglh from the user's elbow to the tip o l his/her longest finger. A wand should always be made of w o o d , although whether dial w o o d is stripped of its bark or shaped in any way in up to its era fier. A s h , Yew. Oak, White Pine. Apple, Hawthorne. Blackthorn, Birch. W i l l o w and K o w a n are the most common woods used in w a n d creation, and a w a n d of lightning struck w o o d is sup posed to be exceptional. Used instead of: Athame, hand, sword, staff. A unique w a n d , the Priapic Wand, is used in the fertility festivals and Hand fastings of some trads. Its use seems to have greatly declined in the past fifteen years or so, but it still is the standby at Handfastings. Its use is included in the rituals of m a n y eclectic groups across the country. N a m e d for Priapus, the Roman C o d of Procreation, the w a n d is "The length of a man's arm with the last bit the size and shape of a male member (phallus)" ' for this reason i l is sometimes referred to as the Phallic Wand. Other forms of the Priapic Wand end w i t h an acorn or pinecone, and are used as symbolic phalluses. Feminist Wicca seems to prefer these alternate lorms. A l s o called the M a y p o l e Wand or the M a l e or G o d ' s Wand. 1
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S w o r d : The Wicean Sword is a larger version of the Athame, and i l used for many of the same purposes. There are two types of Wiccan Swords, the Coven S w o r d , w h i c h is used i n group rituals by a leader or priesffess), and a personal sword, w h i c h is usually used instead of an Alhamí for d r a w i n g solitary circles. It is never used as a weapon, although in older times a person's o w n baiEtJe sword was their sacred weapon, and since they were already k i l l i n g w i t h it, often defensively, they considered those deaths to be sacred. Evidence of sword rituals range from the way a Marine polishes a sabre to a Knighting, and the sword has always symbolized more than metal---it is Ihe sword of justice, or peace, or vengeance. It is used to
draw a Circle i n the earth to protect those wiihin. a n d hi break the I .• • • • i ¡ iLÍ cord, a n d the " g i v i n g " of the coven sword to a leader or priestess is a profound art of love a n d trust. M a n y feel that the only sword used in ritual should be a "Wiccan üword" crafted according to their tradition and using certain metals a n d symbols- Unfortunately, finding a Wiccan S w o r d is near impossible. I know of three Smiths who craft ihem, and none o l them are easy to find outside of their immediate communities. I assume that there are manv others nut there, and that a few words asked at renaissance faires may help y o u find o n e - A "regular" sword w i l l also d o . and one of the most beautiful I've ever seen was a C i v i l War-era sabre etched with symbols for free¬ d o m , including a portrait of Dr. Martin Luther K i n g Jr. Don't be afraid to include Christian horiH's i n your practice, or to experiment. Remember.. - A l l religion is eclectic by design. Your personal s w o r d should represent yourself. Unlike the Atharnc", which can easily be created or altered intocniS' tence, I've always felt that the sword w i l l "come to y o u , " either as a gift or as a "karmic occurrence" (like finding it at a flea market or garage sate just w h e n y o u have Ihe money.) I also feel that there is nothing wrong w i t h helping K a r m a along (you can't find it if y o u don't look,] but don't obsess o n linding a s w o r d , patience is a Wiccan virtue tooSlaff: Like the Sword, the Staff is essentially a larger version of another tool, the wand. It is sometimes usied to draw the circle i n the earth, but it seems more important as a w a l k i n g stick than anything else. In at least one bardic tradition, the staff is a mark of level, with the larger staff a mark of a high rank. In some Native Amcrican-flavored trads, the staff is the Speaking Stick, passed around the circle so each member may speak without interruption, coupled w i t h eagle, falcon, or seagull feathers (depends o n area), the slaff is a I'rayer Stick, a n d the animal spirits deliver the messages to the sky. (As long as a Wiccan incorporating Native aspects into his/her rituals Is not claiming to practice an indigenous religion, most people have no arguments
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against n y r n In. N o r t h America, the power of indigenous religion Can not be put aside, t o r most o ! us, the spirits of the land are coming alive, and if loose spirits are those of Flk, Fagle. Buffalo and C o y o l e , maybe it's because we've listened hard enough.) Used instead of: Wand, Sword, Athame C e n s e r The censer is a container in w h i c h incense İs burned. The censer sits o n the Altar, but is walked around the circle, for this reason, m a n y prefer H a n g i n g Censers. A simple h a n g i n g censer can be made w i t h a brass planler {preferably one with feet, if y o u can't find a footed one. double the sand.) Take the planter, and use a hammer and a sharp nail {a long carpet lack works besl) to place 3,4, or 5 holes evenly spaced around the lip. Use open brass rings;, available a l hardware and cralt stores, lo connect the holes to lengths of 1/4-1/2 inch thick brass chain. Gather the equal lengths into a slightly larger nng. and connect that to an additional loop of brass chain. F i l l the planter w i t h 1/4 inch of sand, and burn cone incense or charcoal and resin incense in it. The bunting of the incense purifies tile air and. Ilelps to bring OH the correct mental state for circle casting. Used instead of: Smudge Robe: The robes w o r n for ritual in Universal Eclectic Wicca circles are almost always white or off-white, and made of cotton or other nat ural fibers. Black robes invite tin* much negative publicity, but are fine for private circles- O u r use of white is symbolic of our belief that we Incorporate all the aspects into one whole, like white light is, hi reality, all colors- In the Third Circle, some people choose to wear a special colored robe to identify |hem immediately as a master of a path. For certain festivals, like Beltane, people dress In brightly colored robes, w i t h ribbons and flowers everywhere- This is w i d e l y different from coven lo coven. Skyclad, which means "clad only i n the sky," is another way o l dressing (or non-dressing) lor rituals. A l t h o u g h funda mental to Wicca in the eyes of some trads, for many people, Skyclad is not an option. G o i n g around unclothed is a slate w e should find natu¬ ral, but our culture, and its mistreatment of every person w h o Looks
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different, has destroyed the ease w i ' SriOwd have nude. A few w e l l inlentioned people feel dial the way to fix. a person s discomfort is to "shock" them, or make Skyclad mandatory, so they have to choose between being Wiccan or going in the buff. The kind of trauma this causes lo the student needs to constantly be undone b y other Wiccan teachers, and frankly, we don't need the additional stress. The following is from a letter to members of Religion: Other, a n o w defunct netw o r k i n g organization which d i d not admit groups where going skyclad was mandatory; it is as difficult for a survivor of sexual or similar abuse to go skyclad as it is for a deaf person to hear. .,[f a Cuvuil C A N N O T make itself available to those with different needs, we cannot make ourselves available to that coven. We are BY N O M E A N S saving that those covens are to suddenly C E A S E to act skyclad, only that it should be on a member-by-member basis, w i t h no explanation needed. It is not right t i n t society has made it difficult for so many to be comfortable nude... but it is still a fact, and ignoring it di:es no good. For many, the "state" achieved by removing clothing is not a positive state, and making that a requirement is a good way to make an enemy. If lite person's problem Is S O bad that the idea of O T H E R S being nude causes trauma, we will do Our best to find another coven for that person. O u r recommendation is that group rituals be robed, and personal rituals be skyclad. If even the idea of being nude alone bothers y o u , y o u should probably re-evaluate w h y and work on lhat issue, going robed until such time as you feel comfortable with yourself. In groups where skyclad rituals are preferred, there s h o u l d be no special attention paid to those w h o are not skyclad, just as one would pay no attention to a birthmark or scar. Acceptance helps healing.
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C o r d : The. use of the COrd i n noii-m.igickal Wiccan rituals has become so uncommon thai H is lisied here o n l y because of lis inclusion in many other books on Wicra. Most cord ceremooies are M a g i c k a l . and non-religious in nature, although some of These rnagick.il rires arc added In rituals- L i k e Tarot cards and a&lrology, use in a ritual does not make the cord innately religious. W h i l e it's- use in Magickal practices is w i d e l y k n o w n , i n religious practice the chief property o l the cord seems to be us a nifty bell. In m y family, m y lover and I have two cords w h i c h w e use in hell our robes, w h e n w e were handfasted, these cords bound us. We've tied them into floral wreathes on our door for Beltane, hung i h c m on our " C h a n k a y u l m o s " tree and about a million other things. They area deep symbol of o u r failh, and help to make Ihe act of dressing for ritual into a holy act unto itself. The cord is supposed to be the user's height, allhough some traditions say 63 inches. Bui line o r Boline; A l s o k n o w n as the white-handled knife or Goddess knife. Generally used for c u l l i n g herbs, cords, sacred cakes, etc. I admit a lack of knowledge of this tool, w e always used the A l h a m i for most of these tilings, f n the traditions 1 know, a sickle was used to cut herbs, however, i n Backfand's Complete Book of Witchcraft, a similar tool is called a Boleen. in the same book, a Burin is said to be sometimes be called a white-handled knife, and I've heard this loo, even though the burin isn't really a knife, but a tool {sometimes made of bone) for engraving. M a n y ceremonial magicians call their Magick knife an Athame. and many Ceremonial magicians w h o are A L S O Wiccan call their (rilualj A t h a m i a Bolllne. This is an example of how the necessary eclecticism of Wicea can produre differing results, each one just as legitimate. Used instead of: Alhame, sickle. Salt; Tlie salt used in ritual represents b>olh Eardi and, when mixed w i t h water "The seed of life" o r semen. II is purifying, male a n d grounding i n this form. In some trads. however, salt, o r sailed water, represents the tears o i the birthing goddess, which were shed a n d became Ihe sea-1 prefer |o think of salt in scientific terms, as the chief
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component, along with water. i>i Our body. It is also a. natural crystal, as beautiful as quartz (you may need a microscope to lully grasp that). Another tciirmiin Wiccan belief is that snlted water is the union cit male and female into wholeness... [fie blood. Still another belief is that thesea is Ihe blood of Gaia, thus salt water is sacred... I h i s l i s l goes onFor every trad tliat gives a unique reason for the use of sail, there are 4 or 5 that give no reason a l a l l , 1 prefer to tell people lo find their o w n . . . C o n s i d e r it "a Wiccan Mystery." N o t e : Sea Salt is the preferential vehicle here, although in certain parts of the w o r l d " L a k e " or " E a r t h " salts are probably betterO i l : A n o i n t i n g oils are usually vegetable based, and are charged w i t h energy and used to convey that energy lo something else. In one rite, for instance. C l a r y Sage is used to anoint the head of a f r i e s ! that he may think his way through a difficult scenario. Oils for clear thought arc commonly used o n the forehead of members of a circle. Sage, (asmine and Pine are common- Used insleadof: Smudge (ash). C a u l d r o n : A l t h o u g h relics point to the use of heavily sculpted bowl-like cauldrons by The Ancient D r u i d s , its use in Wicca has d u b i ous beginnings. Most non-Druidic traditions and ham-Trads do not use Cauldrons, and most of the Magickal traditions that Wicca shares roots with use a wooden bowl or a flat scrying dish (filled with water) on a tripod, II the cauldron was used in early traditions, it was used because it was a big household implement, not a great metaphysical tool. A cauldron is b u l k y and seems to be a sharp h i m from the idea that the Wiccan circle is a portable church. A p a r t from being a really cool way to brew herbal concoctions, and for cooking those big feasts and doing your laundry, the hoge iron cauldron is rarely used in Wicca these days. If a cauldron is present in a ritual, it is usually an 8-12 inch diameter replica from a mail order catalog or N e w A g e store. W h e n y o u examine Rituals calling for caldrons they are often used o n l y as a place lo light fires without b u r n i n g your house d o w n or a place to put
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candles so they Won't blow Out Other uses such as holding water ur items to he charged w i t h energy cart he done by the chalice or atop a pentacle (easily made out of flay or carved from wood) T won't say that a cauldron is useless, but because they seem to be a leftover o l a bygone "shock-the-public" form of Wicca, they seem better sent ofl to the Local H i g h School for their next production o l Macbeth than used i n a ritual. When lighting a small fire indoors a cauldron can be vital, but good cauldrons are S O hard to lind that 1 feel a necessary substitution should be made in advance- Those same brass planters previously mentioned o l l e n appear in larger versions, holding about 2-3 cups o l l i q u i d , many of w h i c h are shaped like s m a l l cauldrons- For an instant cauldron lire that won't set olf smoke detectors, place a small piece o l stifl (wired) candle wicking in the center o l a cauldron-planler filled 3/4 o l the way with wax crystals or pellets (these are tiny spheres o i wax used instead o l block wax by some candle makers, these are w i d e l y available a l craft stores at reasonable prices. There is no need lo melt the wan, just sprinkle a little scented oil or powdered herb near the wick and light..-a caldron candle. If y o u have the time, y o u could use block wax and regular candlewicking, too. For rituals calling for a cauldron full of water, seeds or (lowers, use your chalice, a b i g bowl or pot, or {if you ju&l must have that " w i l c h y " look) one of those a w l u l black plaslic cauldron thingies that people put in the m i d d l e of their lawns as planters. Improvise! Used instead of: Chalice, Pentacle, Firepit. Censer.
Chalice or Goblet: Sometimes called a grail, the goblet holds the sacred wine or water, or salted water. I saw a beautiful rilual where the priest and priestess of a coven poured took two goblets full of wine from a big plastic cauldron and poured all but some of the wine into the goblets of two coventrs w h o kept some a n d poured the rest into the next person's, w h o kept some and poured the rest into another, so that the two streams went around to meet in the middle w i t h the coven's newest member, w h o offered a toast to the gods and was welcomed by
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the Circle. The benelil of this, 1 was told. 3ü opposed to the mure usual drinking Irom one mug, was thai no germs were passed. O n a day without a newcomer, |he streams w o u l d COtTuJlue until a small hit was poured lo the pries! and priestess. I've never seen a coven since that could do it without spilling all over Ihe place, b u l i l was still beauiiiulO f course, apple juice or anything else can be used in lite ritual instead of wine. S i c k l e (see Bolline, above): The sickle is used to cut sacred lierbs at certain m o o n phases, it repiesents^Crnnehood" and is often given to a menopausal covener as recognition o l a n e w Lie phase. 1 think the modern usage of the sickle as Ihe " G r i m Reaper's" tool makes this a b i l too morbid, but many feminist Wiccans disagree. Used instead of: Bolline, Athame. Smudge: In European praedces, herbs were thrown o n the lire lo produce clouds of scented s m o k e Smudge, which is either a bundle of herbs fur burning or the ash of sacred herbs used for anointing, is bor rowed from Native American Practices a n d can usually be held in the hand instead of thrown i m a fire. For a nice change, burn rosemary or bay instead of ihe traditional sage or sweetgrass. Slick Incense can be used as b u r n i n g smudge, it'll do in a p i n c h , but the ash is fairly worth less. Used instead of; Censer, o i l . Pentacle: A piece of clay, w o o d or metal used on the altar asa deco ration and a place to put ilems to be charged w i t h power or purified. Purists often use wax pentacles that are broken or thrown in a fire afterwards to honor those w h o had lo h i d e their religion. M a n y o w n and use metal or clay molds to make these pentacles, which seems lo defeat the purpose. Used instead of: C a u l d r o n . C r o w n uf Stars and H u r n e d H e l m : T fit! C r o w n of Slars is w o r n by the priestess in a ceremony invoking ihe Goddess, the Horned H e l m is the masculine form- They often represent H e m e or Pan, and Diana,
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and are omitted by leads using other gods. A C r i ^ n of Stars shows the crescent moons and ihe moon f u l l , or a h o m e d m o o n , o l l e n w i t h slats around the band. A homed helm is usually what could be called a " V i k i n g " helm (although the real V i k i n g s probably wore no such thing), or the " H e l m o l H e r n e " w h i c h uses a deer's head and neck as a headdress. A n t i - h u n t i n g and/or vegetarian Wiccans tend to frown on this. G o d l d e s s l figures: Representations o l the deities o l choice o l the solitary, these range horn statues to tarot cards. A n y personal object that represents one's deities or belief can be placed o n an altar to lend its power to the proceedings. In group situations, we recommend only a pair o l Candles, so that the personal gods of the Cnveners: aren't in any way suppressed. A n o i n t i n g slick: A p i e c e o l greenwood, w i t h one end mashed, used to apply oil to things. Book o l Shadows: A l s o called "The great tome." A Wicean's private book of rituals and other such things. I call mine a "Book i l l L i g h t " because what I do is out there, open for anyone to see. lit the Burning times, it would not have been so- I've included the book of Shadows as a ritual tool because some use it in lite rituals. A Book of Shadows is like a journal o l the sacred aspects o l life, rituals, the names o l coveners, the laws of Wlcca. In groups where one of the many versions o l the "Charge o l The Goddess" is read, it is usually o n page one. i n m y coven's Book o l Shadows, the legend of the descent of Persephone is there The C h a r g e d The Goddess used by most trads was written by Doreen Valienle, and only itoendy I L L S been portrayed by "Fundamentalist Wiccans" as an actual even! (not a story) and disagreement widt this idea could land you in a shouting match. I dislike the whole notion of the words o l one person's Goddess being spoken as an absolute truth...11 Christianity, which had access to libraries and monks, and all sorts o l s t u f l
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like that can't keep a single statement of Ihe Bible the same for hundreds of years, how can one believe Witches, riLnning and hiding a l all limes could? The Charge o l Ihe Goddess should he seen like all Wieran litera ture as an inspirational piece of writing, nol as "The word ol Ihe law p u l down for all to see." The level of belief in the words of the Charge should iwilrjeunkcd toat^liefofitslustory. I've included two Eclectic versions of ihe Charge in lite back o l this book because this book is about a lype of Eclectic Wicca. This should not be laken as a slam against more standard versions o l tlte Charge, only as portrayal of lesser-known works ol Pagan inspirational writing. Otheo I haven't included candles, matches, a fire extinguisher, altar cloths and numerous olher items thai are common enough in their usage to be fairly Self-explanatory. Tlie altar is the labte or whatever upon which these things all sit. M y l a v o r i l e altars open up to stow all the ritual gear and become a nice place to put a vase, a fishbowI. what ever, borne people feel an altar should be free from metal or plastics, but man is a part of the earth, so Ihus man-made is as much o l Ihe earth as anything else, and metal is very earthy. I think il'.s mostly a matter o l taste..,it's hard lo feel holy about a bright pink milk crate. t »
Casting a C i r c l e The following is a solitary circle: a multi-use group c i n l e will be given in Book 'Ihrceı " A Book of L i g h t " Casting ihe Circle: Caster places white or appropriately colored candles at the compass points, the altar is a l the center of the circle, A small while or beeswa* candle, two larger candles, the censer with unlit incense, the A l h a m e , a d i s h of salt, a goblet of water, small cakes or cookies for "cakes and ale." a goblet of wine, an offering dish and any items for work to be done within the cast circle. The easier takes a shorl moment, eyes closed, to become "at peace" belore standing before ihe altar. The small candle is lit, and the caster walks toward the
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east. {S)He lights the yellow cır white candle from the small Candle, saying " H e r e I call forth the powers o l air from the east, lhal I may be like the air unfettered and p u r e . " (S)He takes a moment to remember the air visualization, and lo contemplate the meaning of the casl, air and freedom before continuing onward- (S)He lights the red or white candle to the south with the small candle saying. " H e r e I call forth the powers of fire from the soulh. lhal 1 may be like fire, enduring all hard ships hi become strengthened." r
Here ihe caster recalls his/her own "trials by fire" and conlemplates the possibility of more, the meaning of the words spoken is thought on, and the caster continues. (5}He lights the blue or while candle to Ihe west, saying, "Here I call forth the powers of water, that 1 may be like water, supporting and protecting all lhal 1 encounter," Here the caster contemplates the water visualization and the meaning o l the west in his/her life. fS)l le moves o n to the N o r t h , lighting the green or white candle. " H e r e I call forth the power o l Earth, that 1 may be like earlh. grounded at all times." Here, the easier grounds and thinks before m o v i n g to the east to say. "Welcome A i r . l i r e . Water. Earth, shine your light and lend your strength l o this my circle to night/day." Still moving clockwise, caster returns to altar, and lights incense saying. "Negative fortes begone, you are not welcome here." (S)He breathes deeply of the incense and banishes away negative forces w i t h i n before circling clockwise thrice w i t h the censer, visualizing hate, jealousy and the like fleeing from the smoke. (S)He returns to the altar, picks up the Athame and picks up a measure of salt w i t h its tip. Inserting the tip of the blade into the water {s)he says " A s man to w o m a n so blade to chalice. I purify this water w i t h love, light and power." The caster then walks around the circle, sprinkling the salted water about lite circle thrice. Returning t o the altar. (s)he raises, the Alhame! to the s k y and visualizes a beam o l blue light lilling it, (s)he then walks once around the circle, using the Athame and its light lo " c u t " a space between the w o r l d s . This done, ls)he moves to the altar and lights the two candles. " L o r d and Lady, J invite y o u to this m y
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worship, Ihııl you muy look upon my devotions and celebrations and be heartened and strengthened by i h e m . " The caster turns toward ihe west and announces. " N o w is my circle r a i t , unbreakable and without harm. Thus is sacred space decreed, and no act goes unnoticed. So mole it be." Rituals S U L I I as healing, m i n o r M a g i c k and celebratory rites tlicii take place, followed by "cakes and ale" in w h i c h the L o r d and Lady are invoked into huid and drink and ingested, much as with the Catholic sacrament or the similar rites of numerous indigenous people in which certain foods or d r i n k s are prepared to invoke gods within the body or within the food. A typical blessing of the cakes and ale may be as simple as " N o w I partake of your bounty, that I better appreciate my o w n , " hi elaborate acts w i t l i chalices, athamés or songs. I always "share" the food and drink with the gods by leaving the liba tion dish nutside overnight. The food a l w a y s disappears...Whether it is absorbed into nothingness, or pecked b y birds and our local stray cats. L don't know, I also don't care, w h o the gods wish to shan? w i t h is up lo them. Alter Cakes and A l e , thank the gods l o r their attention.--don't teli them " y o u can leave n o w . " If y o u order the gods around like some petty astral spirits, expect to be ignored. A l w a y s invoke your Will as it harmonises with the W i l l of the gods; never e-ert W i l l over the godsG i v e as y o u w i s h to get, in ritual .is well as life. Closing the circle: Thank Ihe C o d s for their attentions, snuff their candles. Dismiss individually each element and thank i l for lending its strength. Walk around the circle, d r a w i n g the blue light back into the athame, breathe deep, and take some of the power hack. A closing statement usually lollows. ending in. " T h e Circle is open, but ever unbroken...So mote it be" I can't stress enough tile beauty of personal rites. Many good books and teachers are out then? w i t h great rituals, but y o u k n o w y o u best. Personal sacred space is just that, personal, and I can't presume lo tell you what'II work lor you. I've given you the tools, use them.
Chapter Five The Wiccan Gods
In Universal Eclectic Wiccn, there am l i v e sets oí GOC*, the first being the Lord And Lady, w h o represent die natural duality of die universe and are " u n n a m e d " The Lord and Lady are invoked in public group rituals unless the members of a group all agree on a name for them for ritual use. Commonly, non-traditional groups that have become Universal Eclectic Wicca organization*, maintain all oí their rituals unchanged, adopting our laws and ways of leaching. L i large festival situation. , where these and other groups attend, the term L o r d and Lady w i l l replace the groups' names for the gods so that any person w h o is familiar with Universal Eclectic Wicca w i l l feel at home in a ritual they lead. 1
The Lord and Lady, p u l i n that order not because o l some patriarchal plot, but because of its easier to speak rhythm, represent all of the aspects of the divine force lied into one d u a l - d i v i n i l y In drawmgs. the l.ord and l.ady are a two sided lace, like the Roman god Janus, w i t h one side male and the other female. They a
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Goddess without a G o d BS any mure Wiccam ' İ M : , a •; r;JU p w h i c h wor ships a G o d without a Goddess. A rase ran tie made here, and it often is, thai the " G o d " hah been being worshipped lor two thousand years, lo the exclusion o l the Goddess. There are two very legitimate reasons lo n o l use this as an excuse to exclude the G o d . The first is the simplest, two wrongs don't make a right, another kindergarten axiom thai hasn't ceased to apply. The second is a bit longer, but put simply, the Gi>d worshipped by Ihe Christians L s n o l the VYieean G o d , and the fact that he is not dependent on a feminine force proves this. The Gods n l Wicca are interdependent, male needing female, female needing m a l t 1 6
1 am not saying that a celestial therapist is needed to alter some great CO-dependency crisis in the heavens:, merely thai The G o d s are incapable of creation separately. Tes. they can replicate, and I'm sure w h e n w e find a w a y to create egg-egg and sperm-sperm embryos, we. too, w i l l be able to replicate into Utile beings exactly one-half of our selves, but actual D N A crossover won't be as effective, and an a l l w o m a n , or all-man community w o u l d f i n d i l s gene pool geldng smaller and smaller and smaller, unlil it d i e d oul.,-interdependency in action. True unique creation requires more than one sex. from Ihe smallest one-celled creatures to h u m a n beings, so the belief in a single creator, or creatrix, just doesn't hold up lo the axiom shared by Wiccans and Hermetic philosophers, " A s above, so below." A good example of creation w i t h only one creator is the Greek G o d 1 lephacstos. W h e n H e r a saw that Zeus h a d had a child, Athene, seem ingly without the aid of a w o m a n , she created Hephaestos by her o w n act of parthenogenesis. Hephaestus was .created "imperfect" by the standards of the Greek Gods, w i t h none oi the beauty, nor the grace of the other gods- He was the most h u m a n of the gods. In the Greek Paradigm, in w h i c h G o d is demoted hi m a n . and man is demoted lo animal the message is clear, a human child created by parthenogenesis w o u l d be the most animal of the humans. In this paradigm, lhat we have dual creators is evident. A philosopher once told me, "If y o u are l i n k i n g out of a w i n d o w at the calm waters of a lake, and you cannot
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see the m o o n behind you. Study its retlection." We are tho reflections o l divinity, and at least tor now, the reflection it oasis is two-se*ed. .
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We interact directly w i t h the Gods, they interact directly w i r h us, hut thi facet of IheLr totality that w e See is dependent u p o n any n u m ber of social, personal and experiential factors. In Wicca. the priests are n o l there as liaisons to the Gods, h u l a s tour guides to inner developm e n t N o one need-, a pritsl(ess| in their l i v i n g room 24-7, many books (often written by priests) can provide answers to simple questions abi iu t WicCa. 1
in your journal right now, i want y o u to dedicate the last five pages as a "Resource G u i d e . " In those pages, write d o w n books, people, websites, whatever has helped y o u in the past, keep a list of phone numbers and organizations that appeal to you. If y o u subscribe to an on-line system, try using a net searcb, i n d e J , table of Contents. " G O " or keyword feature to find Wiccans, Druids and other Pagans that also subscribe- O u r flexibility has created a w o r l d w i d e net of Pagans that are out there recommending and a d v i s i n g on everything from robe color to Neo-Ra5ta£arianism. If y o u d o n ' l have a computer, see if your local library or copy shop has a free or pay per hour on-line service, if it does, y o u may find that the hourly prices are fairly reasonable, and a l o l of information can be downloaded in one houx. We all find, create, and respond to experiences differently, and as y o u search for the meaning of divinity, y o u may well find that a certain god and/or goddess appeals lo y o u . This is why Universal Eclectic Wicca supports the belief in Personal Gods. The idea of gods as impersonal, unchanging statues is archaic and unlikely. We See so much of o u r lives differently from other people without feeling strange about it, that 1 like roast beef and brie for breakfast and m y partner likes bacon and eggs doesnT cause us concern. Why, men, d o w e feel o d d w h e n w e realize we view the unviewable dilferently? These personal Gods, called i'atron land Matron) gods, are the aspects
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of divinity that appeal in OUT inner spirituality. A v e r y loving person, for instance, w h o is very sensuous and sexual, may celebrate ihe aspects of Pan and Aphrodite. A person w h o is really interested in dreams and ihe nigh! may choose M o r p h e u s . Somnus, or N y * . A sailor may begin each voyage w i i h a prayer to Aegir, Mannanon M a c U r , N e p i u n c or A m p h i l r i l e . When a person replaces " L o r d and L a d y " with Patron gods, he isn't excluding the olher Gods, he is focusing h i s energy in one or two particular directions. It's similar, in a way, to putting A T T N : o n a letter lo a large corporation, without it, the Letter w o u l d eventually get to the right department, but with it. you have a. better chance oi having it received cfuickly and answered by Ihe right person. Your patron gods often are your L o r d and Lady, w h e n v o u Call them by name, you're just showing that you realize w h o has been answering y o u all along. The Patron gods are invoked in persona I rituals, often a healing god for healing, or an ancestral god for family problems. This concept of "right gods for the right job" is central to the belief in universal religion that all gods are valid and that all gods, in some form, exist. Some say all these gods are one god, and while 1 understand this, knowledge of other religions has reqnired me to believe otherwise. Surely m y patron g o d . A p o l l o , is not the same god as Y H W H , f t tny friend's patron, O d i n , or even my partner's patron from the same pantheon. Hades. W h i l e the gods may well be a part o f or an understanding of, a great, unknowable " a l l , " claiming all gods are one god both negates t h e g u i l l of gods said to have done evil things, and negates the concept of polytheism as a whole- In order, for example, for me to accept the Abrahamic god as simply another face of m y o w n god, I have to either take the vengeful god of the Hebrew Bible's actions, w h i c h J find abhorrent at times, as the actions of m y g o d . or assume that his followers are w r o n g about h i m and ignore their beliefs. 1 am not i n a position to comfortably do either. The only rational assumption, then, is that their god is valid to them, and they believe that he d i d the things that they claim of h i m . and m y god is valid t o m e , and 1 believe what fellow r
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followers claim of h i m ,ind the pflly limei either o l us is " w r o n g " is w h e n w e make ihe logical leap to ihe beliei dial the people w h o believe in gods other than ours are w r o n g . A s long as w e slick to OUT o w n gods, and ideas about i h c m , w e an? line. II is only w h e n w e question Ihe relationship of others lo their gods- lhat w e sink into ignorance and hubris. We do not know ihe m i n d s of the gods, nor do w e k n o w the minds o l olher humans. If we can accept lhat there are many paths to the same end, each w i t h ils o w n pleasures, pains and lessons, we realize it's up to us to choose our paths, or take new ones altogether. The Patron gods are a slep o n a path but not the pathilself, jusl as they are all parts of the divine, hut not the d i v i n e itself. n
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The Guddcss(e*} Wicca gloriously embraces Ihe Goddesh. forbidden to us for years by a cruel patriarchy that cast women in the dual role of helpless creahire and originator of all sin. A s the feminist movement took op h i T call, a wealth of Goddess and p r o - w o m a n literature was created. A generation ago, w h e n the first books of feminist Wicca came out. Ihe word Goddess tame to oor lips with difficulty; N o w , even mainstream media is influenced b y her touch, and crisis has caused her to be more relevant than ever. She is at once one goddess and a m i l l i o n goddesses, the power of women as a whole, and the power of all that is feminine is hers- The Goddess is alive and well In America. F r o m her lighted torch over N e w York to Lady Themis in all her Washington, D C incarnations, the Goddess is antond us every moment, So isi it so sorprising that others finally hear her call? A s w e witness this glorious rebirth, perhaps resulting b o m two thousand years of an inherently flawed social system thai n o w crumbles and is forced to change, we are reminded of the legend of Persephone, a slory from ancient Greece adapted into the Modern Wiccan "Wheel of the Year:"
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" Perseplrone was gallming ßoavrs along a rii'erbaıık a-herr *hc / r n i r ı . ı i f d a m u of exceptional [ i f t i u J v <"P f n opposite bank- Despite the warnings of ln-r mother to never eniss the river. Perseplrone crossed, moving at ofiee Jn the side of a large well. As she gathered the blooms, her face was reflected in Ihe well, and her smile stiown down through the well and i'tlo the realm of Hades himself, alio at once decided that 1
Persephone uxndd rule beside him as queen of the under worid. Spurned by Goddesses in the past. Unties toasted no time and rode up through a riß in the earth, stealing Persephone away and dragging her, .^-reaming, into his realm. He set oat feast far the girt to no avail, for she swore she would neither eat nor drink, merely wait out time for the Fates to cut her cord. whereupon she would be called to tlieElysian Fields, for she had done no foil in the toorld and zoOs thus promised eternal bliss. Alwtv. Demeter looked everywhere for her daughter, and taking the torch qf Hecate, she wandered for ninedaus and nights before slur came to a bouquet of wilted powers and hoof marks. She asked the fountain where the girl had gone and the nymph within told her of Hades kidnap of the girl. Knowing iluit none had ever been rescued from the underworld^ Demeter was inconsolable, and withdrew into the deepest cave of Olympus, ignoring the crops and forests and leaving them to wither and die. Man's pleas were ignored, but Zeus, eldest brother to Demeler and I'alrou of Mankind could not siand Ihe destruction and sorrow. He sent down rain, but Hfy a'-re not Pcmcter's gen tle storms, they were rough-hewn thunderstorms that tore at the earth and caused more damage. He bribed, threatened and implored Demeter to come out. but she would not listen. He bribed, threatened and implored Hades, but Demeter was his. he had taken her maidenhood, and In submission she had eaten six seeds of tire ponregrarrate from his tiarrd. The leain-s of the trees had turned brottm. and Zeus demanded that Iris paint them so that their sicbwss would be hidden, and as bidden the rainl-ow fOddem painte^l them raf. orange and gold, the colors of her feil. Demeter seemed to become a bit heartened at Hie sight, and a gentle rain fell, but as she turned İrer face toroard tire welt she turned cold at the thought of İrer tuiughtcr. who could not see the beautu of Iris's painting, and in a rage covered the ground and trees with a layer of while strew to hide their beauty. The sound of
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hit howling i/i sorroio shred even/ Inst leaffrom the tree and the world uns plunged into darkness, with only Hecate's torch to light the dayZeus i-isriod lire Fates and implored their knowledge as to hoio Persephone coutd possibly retrieval, and they declared that if the girt had not eaten of life food of Hut underworld site 'mtsl t-e freed. Zeusfletv at once to Hades and demanded her release, for the pomegranate was not the food of the underworld, hut food of Demetc's realm, and thus the girt sliauld be freed. Persephone, much changed by now. spoke with no trace of childhood in her Utat stie should sp,-nd one month in Hades' realm forcael'of the seed* site hail eaten, thus gii'ing Demeler her daughter and Hades Ml queen, and to this day. Zeus' storms. Iris' painting and Hecate's torch help man to survive from the grief of Persephone's descent until Hie joy of Iter return.' T-u<j" and decreed
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Demrter. goddes* of agriculture, and Pmyhone. goddess of Spring, together with Gaea goddess of Ihe Earth in Its entirety, form the original panHuron of Greek Nature Gods, with their equally powerful counterparts DiOnySus. Pan and SilenuS. Thes,- three generations represent the ihne states of -wonuinliood. the maiden, the motlter. and the crone, a pourrful image i n Wicca. Gaea was an old Gotldess. sister to Pontus. the sea. and daughter of Aether and Hemera. Light and Day. Gaea. with Uranus had twelve children. Ha- Titans. u-)u< Uranus imprisoned. With hrs mother's help. C r o n u s rose up to kill his father, and from the blood of Uranus'^ death wound rose the Giants. Hie Melian Nymplis and the Furies. After the War between tlw Titans and the Giants, the time of the Golden Age came, and Cronus liad six children, i'oseidou. Hades. Zeus. Hestia, Hera and
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In the selling of the M y t h of Persephone, we have n o l two. b u l ihrce women, with Gaea. Ihe grandmother, symbolized by the cave in w h i c h DemetLT bides fa comfort. Gaea was guddesa o l the Earth with a focus on Ihe actual planet, included in h e r sphere are such things as earthquakes and caverns. Demeter, on the other hand was the Goddess of the Biosphere, the crust o i the earth, rain, w i n d and agriculture- H e r sphere was an aspect nf Gaea's, while Peresephone's was
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an. aspect of h i i own, furthering the belief that power, used correctly, begets power. The aspects of maiden, mother and crone, or the Triune Goddess are also represented with Artemis (Art-em*iss) or Diana. Virgin Goddess o l the hunt, as the maiden. She Ls symbolized b y the crescent moon, her bow, from which her arrows (meteors,) are fired. Few Wiccans see the "triune g o d s " as a single goddess w i t h "faces," instead recognizing the literary fact that the stages of our lives are reflected in our mythology. Crone Goddesses are rarely, for example, hunched over o l d ladies, but instead are the wise w o m a n , the healer, or even the whore, w h o knows the secrets to the universe. If Artemis is the maiden, then Selene, ancient and little k n o w n goddess of the moon and Cousin to Gaea, is a i l ideal Mother, her fullness the belly of a w o m a n in pregnancy. Selene is little written oi beyond "Goddess of the M o o n , " but her powers were near infinite, as she charged womb, herh and everything else w i t h energy. Hecate, die third in this triune' ', i s n o l truly symbolized by Ihe moon, but by a lack of it, and a dark sky is said to be her stumping ground. II is Hecale who points Demeter toward the N y m p h w h o lells of Hades' acts, and I lecate's penchant for caves and earthquakes brings her closer to Gaea in nature lhan any other goddess. H e r cauldron and her place as the mother of all Witches gives her a special place in the eyes of many Wiccans, but the witches of Hecate's crcalion are far from ourselves. One legend says that all witches are brewed in Hecate's caldron in group- of three, and that one day she had started a batch before realizing she was almost out of eyeballs, the one that went in the pot was shared bv the three, and in return for the mistake they were given great powers and endless life. In typical Hecate fashion, the endless life d i d n't mean endless youth, and to this day the Stygian Witches age and age. growing in power daily, but sharing one eye betwixt the three. 1
Mentioned rarely is the forth face of the Goddess, Nemesis, Goddess of balance, w h o is believed in b y Wiccans as the force of K a r m a , and is ever watching, silently. If Nemesis is seen. It is only by those w h o have summoned her b y their actions, a dubious distinction
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at beet. W h i l e never o u t w a r d l y mentioned, Nemesis is always implied., bill Wiceans w h o act merely o u l o l fear o l Nemesis are considered lesser lor i i . A s one W i r r a n priesi has been known to say, " A person w h o fallows out o l Icar o l ihe goddess cannot he lead by her love," J should note here thai I've chosen to use Creek mythology because nearly everyone should recognize a i least hall of the names of the Gods In ihese legends, whereas an Egyptian, Assyrian or N o r s e variation or similar m y l h w o u l d have much lens recognition l o Ihe masses o l people out ihere learning. 1 d o n ' l feel the Greek Myths are In any way better than other myths, just more accessible, the necessity o l your o w n research, prayer and experimentation hi fully understand Ihefacet5 of the goddesses can't be stressed enough. Ones! onward. *
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TheGod(s) The G o d of Wicca is represented In general as the consort of the Goddess and more specifically as the Triple-God, Son, F R U U T and Sacred King or blunter. A rarely used yet poignant archetype of the Triple G o d are the Brothers Thanatos and Somnus {Death and Sleep), sons of N y x , and Somnus's son. M o r p h e u s , L o r d of Dreams. Morpheus, w h o , contrary to the "Sandman" of comic book fame, is portrayed as a puck-like youth with win^rs to deliver him fnmi mind to m i n d faster, is repeatedly offered the chance to " g r o w u p " {i c : become sexual,) but he refuses rather lhan ]osehispc»wers-In this way, Morpheus represents tlie ultimate Teter I'an, tlie boy wlto never grows up. The line drawn between youth and maturity are very se*ual- If he is old enough to have s t * he must pass into the next phase, and the free¬ doms of childhood are gone. Ihe passage riles destroyed by Christianity have created the Christian moral dilemma of pri'-marital sex, boys are boys until they are married, so whal they d o before then doesn't count. Unlike the changes women go through, m u c h of a man's changes are exdusively internal, mental and emotional. In I're-Christian society, the
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shaman noticed these changes, and assisted the parents. N o w , direct rorrununication I torn parent to child Is The essential lormula. Pagan parents must tie aware nf a son's passage into manhood and prepare him for die additional responsibilities he will n o w h a v e The tools are there, but the tools don't work unless they are usedKepreseniations o l the two adult paths are round in Thanatoa and Somnus. Thanalos is the more powerful o l the two, but is incomplete, always searching lor more out of his powers. H e is cold and like Hecate, eternally bitter toward wasted y o u t h . Somnus, while less powerful, has three sons, Jcelos, Phantasos and Morpheus, and relives his youth and early adulthood through them. Morpheus, is in fact, seen as always b y his lather's side, another price o l eternal childhood. Another Greek triarchy are SileOus. the G o d o l fruit-hearing plants and their cultivation, Dionysus, his p u p i l and G o d of Wine and Pan, the w i l d child god of the Wilderness. Silpnus, the half-bpsy Satyr or Centaur (sources vary.) traveled the w o r l d w i t h Dionysus, leaching the secrets of the vine, much as Demeter taught the secrets of grainPan represents untamed male voulh. and is god of Shepherds, Forests and Fishing, and considered as jester to the Gods. The idea of Pan as incredibly sexually active is a modern one. as his misfortune w i t h nymphs, dryads and the like is a large part of his legend. H e represents sexual energy pent up into frustration and ready to burst- If Morpheus is the eternal child, then Pan is the eternal teenager. The lack of respect by Ihe Gods for Pan is due to his refusal to give up his wildness. and Morpheus is likewise disrespected. Dionvsus and Somnus seem to represent the ideal, an ever expanding adult teaching and learning at the same time, and Silenus and Thanatos represent the adult w h o stops learning and stagnates. The three archetypes are so important lo our understanding of maleness, our own or another's, and in teaching them, w e are raising more complete, ever-growing h u m a n beings instead of matriarchal drones with no self-esteem.
Chapter Six Reclaiming our Identity
Before being allowed to achieve the second circle, a student is asked. " W h o are y o u ? " The question seems, fairly simple, but rediscovering one's identity is difficult in a world where passage rites are shunned. The first step for many people into a " N e w Self" is a new name. M a n y birth names are like luggage that we're hauling around, and people feel liberated by changing their names. Wicean name- are beautiful a d s of liberation, freeing us from any number of chains a n d allowing us to move on. The people most affected by your change of name are your parents, w h o inevitably wonder w h y in the name of whatever you want to change your name, which they usually feel more possessive of than y o u do. Explaining to them that your name was acceptable as a child but that the adult yOU are now is not that child sometimes helps, but I'm afraid I'm in the Wicean majority w i t h o u t the guts to do it. M y mother knows I'm Kat, m y lover calls m e Kat, m y snn says that his mother's name is Kat, but to her, I'm D a w n . D a w n is a good name, just enough of the sixties in it l o b e rebellious without facing the hardships m y friends Peace, Sky. Ocean a n d Lovechild must've had. A lot of Wiccans change their name to D a w n , but to me, it has baggage. D a w n was that ubnodous. selfish teenager, a phase 1 grew out of. Kat was a fresh start and the Wicean community
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accepted thai. It was a passage rite. I can go o n for hours aboul what m y names mean to me, b u l the summation Is simple, m y names aren't what I'm raileri, they are what I am¬ I can think of three men. Christian. Daivid and Malthew, w h o fell completely content w i t h their names, and found the Wicean c o m m u nity couldn't grasp it. and that's a side-effect of this new freedom that w e have lo avoid, Judeo-Christian names are as acceptable as any other as long as the person is content w i t h going by that name. M e n seem mote inclined to prefer their birth names, and this may be because men are " n i c k n a m e d " more as a c h i l d , gaining their full name as an adult. M e n also are more likely to have ancestral names, and the power in o w n i n g the name your forefathers d i d can't be denied. Wicean names are osually chosen from mythology and religion, and i l , at this moment every person choosing a name abstained from Ehana. anything with wolf in it. Morgan, M e r l i n , A m her and Phoenix, there w o u l d still be too m a n y people with those names, so think about repetition in your choosing. Bucktirnd's Complete Guide to WHdicraft has an interesting numerological spin o n choosing a name, and never for get your family tree. Ancestral names are incredibly important to Wiccans trying to preserve their identity. One w a y of discovering your identity is to do genealogical research, because Ihe power of family is very significant, especially if y o u dis cover witchy people in your research, like the local herbalist or m a d w o m a n (who may be the local herbalist.) The discovery, for instance, that you aren'l the first one in your family tree w h o knows the secret properties of that herb which grows locally can be refreshing. O r maybe y o u belong to one of the "greal c l a n s " of Metaphysics, families which, in the eyes of people w h o study such things, turn out genera¬ tion upon generation of powerful people. Remember, though, that pride in some of voor ancestors doesn't grant automatic pride to all of them, hi Fact, i n families where the parents and grandparents are not the greatest people in Ihe w o r l d , finding ancestors w h o were neat gives you a chance to find something to be prideful about.
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A word hen? must be spoken about racism, and the difference between racism and pride. Racism is a detriment to socieiy. If your m other nr father, spouse or child is in any way promoting racism, it is your d uty, as one of "The G o o d G u y s " lo try and fix that. Racism, like all forms o l ignorance, is something that is added to when y o u allow it to occur. When ,1 parent Allows a child lo become racist it is an act ul negli gence, and anytime ihal racism is brought before our children and we do nut react to it negatively, we are promoting it. I Iomophobia. KeligioLis Intolerance and other forms of hate dirough ignorance are equally as intolerable in any community, especially one that loves free will as passionately as we do. Wlren y o u help someone get rid of his or Iter ignorant indoctrinations, you are n o l harming the Will, y o u are releasing it from the control of other Wills, a very important difference. Like murder and rape, ignorance is an "absolute" wrong, soniethingno one, of any religion, should allow to happen. l'ride, especially ethnic pride, is composed of k n o w i n g your ethnic ity twe are all one race..-Irish, Bantu and Chinese are ethnicilies of the h u m a n race) and being proud of your roots. There is no pride of color; there is pride of ancestry We aren't proud because we were b o m into a family with blue eyes or b r o w n skin, we're proud because our ances tors escaped adversity and created us. l'ri-de isn'l about what w e are, although JEjjmair pride is a glorious thing pride's about what we've done, how we've suffered and survived. M y maternal tamily's red hair and hot tempers may indicate a Scotland that England w i l l never tame, b u l the pride isn't in Ihe hair Color, i f s in the Gelt blood, the strength of our ancestors, and i t s something l o b e proud of. J
A friend of mine is English. ..very English, and we dispute con stantly over h o w awful the English nre, and how violent we Americans (or Scottish, since that is m y anreslry) are. Wc smile over it, and laugh. We aren't saying that we're responsible for the entirety of our nations, only that we're giad we're not another nationality because what w e are is really cool. A mutual friend, positive that w e hated each odier, tried to help us by telling us all the things that the English and Americans have in common, i| took nearly an hour lor us to convince
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her that w e weren't ethnocentric, and wo null equally 06 podUve about all cultures-Our ancestral culturesarea pari of us, and celebratingour similarities and differences are a w o n d e r f u l pari of multicultural ism and ethnic diversify. K n o w i n g what we come from helps us figure out where we are going, and the more diverse our cultural background, the more knowledge we have hi draw o n to become aware of our pride. A d o p t i o n , Divorce and blended families confuses pride for a lot of people, but the family that y o u feel L*. your family should be where y o u place your pride, and for many of us, not just those who've faced these things, the family isn't genetic. C l a n i s a strong w o r d , i l includes your family, uncles, aunts, ex-wives of uncles, ex-husbands of aunls, step-children, former wives and husbands and their family, grandpar ents, great-grandparents, lovers, family friends, clergy people and everyone else in yon r sphere of extended family; including all the "like a brother/sister to m e " people you've picked up along die way. M y mother's people are an easily defined clan, and, since their eth nicity is primarily Scottish die term " C l a n " comes easily to them. A n y t i m e a large number of the family was together w h e n I was grow ing up, someone w o u l d say, " L o o k , the w h o l e Campbell Clao is here." {Which isn't true, because Clan C a m p b e l l has many more members than just our little section of family.) 1| was a w o r d that 1 always understood, and as 1 explored my ethnicity, reading of all the Irish and Scottish legends I could find, I discovered that Clan meant so much more than extended family. A "Wicean" Clan is usually composed of several families practicing as a coven or whose members practice as a rnven. Rules defining w h o is and w h o is not clan vary from culture to culture, from tradition to tradition. One tradition put it this way: " C l a n members are your fam ily and friends w h o share your religion and traditions." In addition, some clans include present and former coven members or are actually large groupings of several covens or families that are gathered under one name for one purpose, be It unity, a political project or just an attempt to form community.
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¿11 One Wicca
The Clan System L,in g j v f pride in family to those of LLS who, fur whatever reason, can't feel accepted by o u r natural family. In tliese instances. Clan consists of both Wicean and non-Wieran members focused in general around a family unit. What is often created is an extended family with its o w n rules lhat govern such things as relationships and responsibilities. Your clanspeople, or clansmen and cianswomen, are your immediate community and are the people y o u consider family. I'm not saying you should give up your birth families, quite the contrary. The more people y o u can turn to in time of need, the better off y o u are in a crisis- Recreating the Clan system offers a structured alternative family focusing o n unity and independence, and often provides a positive environment in which to raise children. C h i l d r e n w h o gruw up w i l h i n a c l a n h a v e a sense of identity, and, in larger clans, a peer group of "safe" kids lo play with. The unified family, with its open and frank discussions ab*mt personal rights, reduces child abuse by making the solitary necessities of abuse impossible. By creating a large family group, w i t h well-stated rules for conflict and mediation, the Clan heals its members of detrimental upbringing and produces new members with a sense of Self and morality uncommon in today's society. Ihe ultimate outgrowth o l the clan is the intentional community, and Wicean intentional communities that grow their o w n food and raise sheep and tlic like are experiencing a rebirth that lays the communes of the sixties lo waste. A s a whole the Wicean population is artistic, above average in intelligence, computer literate and multiskilled, and when a lot of people w i t h those talents gather i n one place the effect is, well ...Magiek. Even w i t h an established family and seUddentity, many Wiccans feel a lack of religious identity. There is n o unifying belief or standard that can be pointed toward to say, "That's what l a m , " and to a degree, that's beautiful. A problem occurs however, in the treatment of people by Wicean Clergy. Religion: Other. A n Alliance of Alternative Religion, was one of several organizations that published a charter that included strictures on what a Wicean priest should or shouldn't do-
Kaalryn MM Marta»
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The purpose uf Reli, . - O t h e r and other groups thai require basic codes o l behavior o l ibeir members isn't -to leil anyone that ihey are practicing their religion incorrectly, only thai they need to rımsider the affect o i their actions upon the W i l l of o l h o r people. The Wiccan Kede and The Ethic o l Self-Responsibility cover freedom of W i l l as clearly as Freedom of religion is Covered under the U S Constitution d n d the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. brom Religion: Other Cade of Ethics and Charter. fan example of a members-only Teligious identity) 11: Ail groups represented by RO must follow the Wiccan Rede: "An it liarni none, tlir as uou wttl," wliether WicCan Or not. This includes tol only physical harm to individual peo ple, hut "Ifraimi'ashing/' body altering, and animal sacrifice. 12: No group represented by RO may charge education fees, or any fees beyond supply fees 'supply fees include rent of a space to hold meetings, caudles, fond and books, but NOT advertising. I Likeioise. no group represented by RO may des ignate a .'lore or crafter from whom supplies MUST be bought. The sole exception to this an- groups belonging to larger, national or international organization*, these groups should charge the minimum possible to cover membersliip fees, Or nothing if no fees exist.(Addendum to Article 2: 1 April §4: Groups cliarging fees and putting thosefees visibly back into their religion are tu-reby excluded front statement one of article 2 provided tlial exceptions are made for those unable to pay any said fees.) IAddendum12. Article!, İ January 95: Classes not relating directly to the. religious practices have never been included under article 12) •3: Alt groups represented tv RO must exclude minors from religious activities unless Hie parent or guardian accompanies
All Clac W k c a
the minar Or atnee ¡oritten consent for the minar to attend. Ritual* ni tvhich peopte under ¡he age ofeighieen are présent mau not he perfomurd "Skyclnd." tArldendum lit article S:1 fíirrníífy iïîMrirors rmny ÍTJJ^JÍT i'AjycJfrrf ritutdsifihe minar, thé minor's parentís) or guardianis! and tltc entirety of tlie groap ghfC luritten consent...It is slill not recommended.) 44. If tire priest or priestess of a group is under tire age af eighieen, heor she mast lv superoiscd by a personofat least tnxnty-one yeara ofage. #5. If Hv leader of a group has tay cwr ttte pmonul Ihvs af his/tier fatlowers beyond the realnr of adrice, or sltaidd etalm lo bea messîah. re-incamation afagod or of a perso», or otheneise super-human and di-mand worship. RCi wilt NOT. under any circumslances. refer peopte to. proteet. adi-ertise or in anyway endorse said group. #t>. RO ¡oill not endorse or represeid groups tlial demand thaï ils members go Skyclail. demand oaths offeattu or obédience, or expeet sexual faiors Iront ils members. ineluding ihose groupe that expert members lo be haohxd ¡oith sexual riles lo "adivine' within the Orele. Liketeise groups demamlingselfor oilfr-mutltation fff.: latióos, body pitnïngl or drug use, cannât be endorseil or represented. #7. Sexual rites mus! be ctmsenteJ lo hu boíh parties; a minor. under Sato, cannot groe consent. Such rites mau not be attended by minors, andany participation by anyone must lie voluntary. wilhaut penalty for tftose nVíü cltoose not lo attend. US. Represented groups mau not discrimínate an ANY BASlS. ineluding sexual orientation, age tseefà.l race, religion (those opposing an organization or cducator's vicios ín
Kaalryi MacMargan H7
an oostrucltoe cr offensive manner shautd be asked to leave.) political ideals, past religious history, or sex (unless the organi^tion adi'ertises as avmert ont\j or nun only, with no exclusion of those-oho may have started life with another, no, or both geuderfs)-! ffS. RO will represent only Pagan organizations as being non-judea-Christian. as such, no organization basing its i-etiefs on a Christian Mylhos. including Satanism, will be represented- (addendum to Article 3-1 famiary 9S: Pagan Judeo-Christiun organizations zoitt be endorsed on a group by group basis If all oilier artich-! apply and the President. VP and Representative of said group's area agree upon said rep' resenlalion and endorsement) ttlt) (Amended 1 January 95} Those groups whose purpose is to convert, or wlio preach an "Only way" and do no! extend basic mpeit to those whom Ihev disagree with will be excluded from RO's membership. We believe such actions lo be contrary to The Wiccan Rede and thus contrary to Article #S.^ The strictures listed above are pretty standard as such things go, and if a Wiccan clergy person, or anyone ever tries to get y o u to d o something thai y u u reel wrung about, then gel away from them, last. Forging a personal religious identity can't be given a formula, Creating a moral rude, discovering your patron and matron G o d s , creating basic rituals and keeping a journal arc first steps, (bough, a n d w h e n the time comes when you can honestly say "I k n o w w h o l a m , " the second Circle is ready lor you. Sure, a task is usually asked o i Sunieone who wishes to achieve the circle, things like creating your first ritual or giving something back hi the coven. If you truly want to give something back to Wicca at this point. I suggest, if it's possible, coming out of the closet as a k i n d , gentie and Wk&m Wiccan- Others decide
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what Wicca is by example, arid for marly people- the extent of example ate I w o o r ihree weinioes busted o n the national news lor raping little girls and railing i l *WitrhcTaft". We know lhat they are not W i r c a n but how can other people make Informed decisions without accurate information? O u r country, a l least, protects you from religious persecution, and there is a huge community out tlicre that wards to help but is afraid. Stand up..-because if y o u don't., .who will? r
Chapter Seven The Second Circle and The Wheel of the
Year
In a coven, entry to Ihe Second Circle is usually a two-meeting processIn the first, the student announces that he Or she wishes to be part of the second circle. tSjHe demonstrates knowledge of the aspects of the First Circle or has been told by a teacher that (s)he has advanced into "the next stage" of educadon. In the next meeting, two questions are asked of the student " W h o are you?" and " W h a t do y o n bring to the Second Circle/" The student answers, telling tlie coven who/what they are honestly and with no glorification, then tells the coven what (s)he brings to the enven. M y favorite answers came from ooe of rny friend's students, w h o answered, "I am N i c o l e , I'm a human girl from the C i t y of Buffalo in the State of N e w York of the C o u n t r y of The United States of America, on the continent of N o r t h America, on the planet Earth, also called Terra, third planet from the star called Sol. I bring a w a r m smile, a shoulder to cry o n . friendship, good brownie recipes and fuzzy baby hamsters if anyone wants one." Certain guidelines as to what y o u " b r i n j r " to a coven must be established. A coven may not demand, or even expect, material goods (even fii77y baby hamsters-1 What you bring is an aspect of yourself that y o u are proud of, and this is your chance hi show it. " I ' m a good counselor," " M y couch is available for crashing out." "I break up fights," 59
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A l l Oac Wicca
and "I can do your taxes." in? all things I've heard mentioned. In the T h i r d Circle, one's study is tailored to s u U their unique abilities and their desires, b y declaring what need y o u fulfill as a Second Cirrle coven member, y o u begin thai tailoring ahead of t i m e Ceremonies lor the Second Circle differ, a fradition in a coven 1 temporarily Led was to bring a dish to pass u p o n announcing your intention, usually cookies or something like that, to represent what the coven has gained by having you as a member. A n astrologer w h o brought " L o v e , insight and togetherness" made sugar cookies w i t h frosting drawings of hearts, eyes and infinity symbols- I've been in about seven Universal Eclectic Wicca covens, and led three or four, and never encountered such a practice again, but it was a nice method o l self-expression for the group, in w h i c h at least six members were proficient bakers. The Oath of Practice is the aspect of the Second Circle w h i c h really separates the members from the birsl Circle. If ever a coven expects y o u to swear fealty or secrecy, y o u s h o u l d w o n d e r aboul their reasonsCertamly, revealing the names of coven members to modern inquisitors is bad form, but if you truly follow the Wiccan Rede y o u wouldn't do that anyway, so w h y would anyone demand that y o u swear not to? The Oath isn't about what y o u do, it's about what you are, and the responsibilities of being W i c c a n - A s i d e poi n t o f The Oath is the simple fact tliat it automatically rules out those people w h o take advantage of the w o r d " W i c c a , " for their o w n gain. It gives us something to point to and go, "See... that's what w e are, and w e don't condone what they've done and we never have and we never w i l l . " The Oath of Practice: J. name, or "craft m»W. also called mundane name." blvear to live my life by tilt- Five Points of Wiccan Belief, taking responsibility for my actions and educating of my religion iclien asked, i roill not lurn any in need of help away without good cause, nor wdl I allme slander and mimse of Wicca to go
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unchattcuged. because SOmedOU i may halv neat of help or be slandered. Within my practice; if I teact\ l ask nothing in return, and etpect nothing in return but the respett thai i. m a teacher. atom* far tlie time pud eff«t I put Info each student r
I take same responsibility fir those I leach, and if I find I have taught them incorrectly. It falls to me lo undo the wrongs done. I affirm that I practice Wicca. and all aspects of my practice, with a free Will, and I will never deny, or in any way restrict the Will of a student. I am fully aware of the ramifications of this Oath and i Sign/swear it before the eyes of The Lord and Lady in truth. So mote it be. Name!*.) Date In Universal Eclecric Wicca, taking the Oath a important because i l you haven't taken i l you m,iy not leach " U n i v e r s a l Eclectic Wicca." Certainly, anyone can leach aspects of W i c c a , bin within the Second Circle y o u gain the privilege of teaching with a defined curriculum and a network, of teachers w h o can lielp v o u . I k n o w I sound like an infomercial at this point, but I speak from experience. Don't, d n not. d o n ' l ever try to teach a coven without a c u r r i c u l u m , y o u will end up confused and frustrated, and your students' interests will he lost amid the chaos. A physical manileslation of The Oath is a common thing among the sacred relics of Universal Eclectic Wicca coven members, and in at least one group, signing a copy of T h c O a t h l s p a r t of their ceremony, if you are serious about Second Circle studies and area solitary, signing a Copy of the oath easily replaces a COveil Ceremony and prepares y o u for teaching if that's your desire- If. as a solitary or coven member, y o u achieve Ihe Second Circle. I want to know. A s far as 1 know, Universal Eclectic Wicca is the first tradition w i t h the commitment to be aware of its practitioners-We're a growing and changing tradition and w e want
«
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and need the inpnt u l our praCtiIionors. We have coverts in the U S Canada and now Australia (Joy!,) so w e fry lo keep In touch v i a the internet. The Web address Eor correspondence with the Church o i Universal fcclcclic Wicca is http://www.cuew.ore,. We try our best lo he as available as possible. r
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Commitment through celebration bntry in the Second circle means that y o u begin to put more iillo being Wiccan than just the morality and the beliefs. The most visible aspect o i joining Ihe Second Circle is the inclusion i l l seasonal, and perhaps lunar rituals into y o u r personal practice. A t least in Universal Eclectic Wicca, and in m y experience, most other covens, the celebra tory rituals are open lo all parties. What w e mean by inclusion is not that you just,in to the ritual but y o u take part in the ritual beyond a mere audience member, hor some, the Second Circle is their first intro duction to the practices of the eight yearly " h o l y days" o l Wicca, for others, it's just a commitment to celebrate, or at least be aware, w h e n the holy days occur. 1 feel it necessary lo add here that we a l l forget holy days, or make plans without realizing it will inlerlere with them. This makes y o u a nor mal person so don't sweat it. A n anecdote I'm l o n d o l relating is that oi Tam ara, a student o l mine, whose first teacher was a lairly well-known N e w York Citv priestess who'd been "brought u p " by parents who were Witches, and had never been anything but Wiccan in her life- I'll shorten tlie story to say tliat site was radter stressed out. and slammed her apart' menl door on some kids who were dressed in costumes, "harassing h e r " C*lly when her coven showed up later that night d i d she remember it was Samhain and they spent tlie night looking about the apartment building ior the kids she'd slammed the donrOTlWhencvcr I tell someone " O h , no, it cart T be die Solstice yet, it was just Beltane," 1 think of Tamara's priestess- We all get absent minded n o w and then, and often, it's the first s i g n o l stress related problems.
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A s with any circle, if you're iffee^ed n n l ail a holiday celebration and you feel dial the celebration w i l l add lo the stress, then don't d o it. Sometimes, the celebration w i l l actualLy relieve the stress, so analyse and discover what's causing it first. I've actually seen references lo stress in older Books of Shadows, it's usually referred to as " D r a i n " and is given as reason fll to not celebrate- any ritual where personal energy w i l l be needed. M a n y rituals for relieving stress are out there, and one appears in part three of this book: " A Book of Light." A s always, substitutions and personal creations aie recommended. This "commitment to celebrate" involves maintaining your religious identity, and feeding the self, it's too easy i n a world h u i l l i n physical gratification l o ignore the rest o l the self and build upon the physicalImbalanced. fractured self is a cause of addictions: alcohol, Sexual, food, whatever, and as w e balance our spiritual/physical/Magickal/emotionaI selves, we feel less pulled by any one side and more harmonized, more integrated. By celebrating Ihc rituals of the seasons, w e arc both "feeding" our spiritual, Magickal and emotional parts, and strengthening llie bunds thai liold it all togetlicr. By incorporating more of our diverse parts into each ritual, we make them more than a celebration of a day and into a celebration of the Gods, the seasons, the self and more, bor this reason, a self-created ritual is especially preferable to a "book ritual" w h e n that ritual is a private celebratin-y nne. •
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TheWheeloftheYear A n understand ing of the nature of rituals is important before fully defining The Wheel of the Year- There are Ihree primary forms of ritual in Wicca. Celebratory rituals are the opposite of so-called "solemnities" such as H a n d fastings and funeral rites. Solemnities (which are rarely s o l i m n ^ celebrate ourselves and the various life changes that w e go through. Celebratory Kituals arc rituals that are held to celc' brate the turning of the seasons, the glory of I h e G o d s , and numerous other Celebrationai things. The third type of ritual. Working Ritual, is
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ritual with a defined purpose, such . 1 - healing. Of releasing negative energy. Working Rituals may be to a i d disasters i l i a ! y o u are loo far away lO physically help, or to com fort and heal those w h o you can't he with. Working Rituals fulfill all ihe same purposes as "Praying for" something or someone, and p r a y i n g is a type o l W o r k i n g RitualRemember, all ritual is merely "advanced prayer." The Wheel of the Year is comprised of four solar or "celestial" holidays, called liminal holidays or Quarters and four harvest holidays, called Cross-quarters. The solar holidays are held on the equinoxes and solstices and celebrate the moments w h e n the w o r l d is halfway between one season and another. A n Equinox (ce-kwln-ox or, alternately, e-ki-nox) is a p o i n l of intersection between the Sun's annual path and the celestial equator. A t those moments; the Sun is exactly over the equator and day and night are of equal length. The Spring or Vernal E q u i n o x , f a i l e d Ostara occurs around M a r c h 21 st. The A u t u m n a l equinox, or Mabon.. occurs around September 21st. The Equinoxes are considered the first days of Spring and Fall. A Solstice la when the sun is furthest from the equator and die day is either the longest or the shortest day of the year. The longest, around June 2 l s l , Ls the Summer Solstice, called M i d s u m m e r and Litha. w h i c h is the first day of Summer. The shortest, around December 21st, is Yule, or Midwinter, and is the first day of Winter. 71
In some ancient traditions, there were o n l y two seasons. Summer, the light half of the Year, w h i c h was said to relate to the Goddess, and Winter, w h i c h was the lime of Ihe G o d . This is easily related to early agricullural society, in w h i c h the field is important for summer and the hunt for fall. A hunter/gatherer society w o u l d find the belief in Ihe Goddess and G o d as near instinctual, whereas the industrialized w o r l d w o u l d find itself more disjointed rind separated from natural belief. The idea of the noble savage f r o m much early industrial age writings expresses this feeling. By w r i t i n g books about A l r i c a n and Native American heroes from "the w i l d , " "untainted by the corruption of society." our more recent ancestors were expressing lite tori ures
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o l unlullillud Spirit By rediscovering The W h e e l of The Year, we fuliill ihci I spirit. The Cross-Quarters, named Bella ne, l.ughnasa, Sam ha in and Imbolc. are harvest festivals lacked on to the Wheel ol The Year as society became more agricultural. Beltane (bell-tayne) marks the completion of planting, Lnghnaaa (loo-nah-aah) marks Hie first harvest, Samhain (.so-when] was the second harvest and the lime tor the first slaughter, the slaughter of those animals destined for Ihe dinner table. Yule (youlj represented the second slaughter, the slaughter of animals that w o u l d nut make i l through the season of storms and was the harvest for winter-apples, potatoes and other second-crop winter fruits. Imbolc (im-bolk) represented first thaw, the turning of the soil and was the time when animals and women alike got pregnant. Each festival had its o w n share of traditions and rituals that stretched cross-culturally and religiously Christianity, Koman invaders and D r u i d s passed the rituals hack and forth between them, and the modern Wiccan Wheel of the Year is a syntllcsis of these, and our diverse m o d e m Cultures.
The D y i n g K i n g A predominate myth in Wicca's Wheel of The Year is that of die Dying King, w h o is b o m , in Ibis pre-Christian myth, at Yule. The Goddess icsts alter his birth, and the land "hibernates" resulting in the cold, harshness of W i n t e r She begins to awaken at Tmbulc, and Ihe infant C o d , Ihe Sun. begins lo exert power with her. By Uslara. she has embraced the land in fertility, and her son w a l k s w i t h the land, bringing forth the hidden and newborn animals. Beltane Comes, aod a mature C o d and the Goddess are |oined as one, she conceives, and at the Summer Solstice, they appear together, gloriously hill of p o w e r - A t Lughnasa. as the auu begins to - W e a k e n " so too does the G o d . The Goddess paves the way for his death, by beginning to withdraw from the Earth so that the people know to harvest and by tlie Solstice, she.
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beginning bo slow d o w n w i i h Lit' increasing burden o l the pregnancy, and lie, steadily growing older, are equal i n power. I'hey mutually decline until Samhain, where the God dies, and the Goddess rests in preparation lor the long labor ahead. In one tradition, a fcasl is held for the Goddess in her last month, and after Ihe feast, she begins Ihe arduous labor thai parodies December, w i t h periods of pa in and relief, always with the anticipation of the linal rebirth of the "Sun K i n g . " In this tradition, the feast was held thirt&en days before Yule, to rep resent the thirteen months of the lunar year. In my o w n family, we've extended this period, and, as you m a y V e guessed, we hold "The Final Peart" on Thanksgiving, and save our money, keeping all meals in December as frugal as possible until the b i g feast celebrating the birth o l Ihe G o d . This helps us keep i n m i n d the feeling of this time of the year for our ancestors. .
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The Equinoxes lEquinoces) The Spring, or Vernal Fquinov is alsn rail led Ostara, E o s b a , Festival of the Trees, A l b a n fcilir, Osrra and rersephone's day, and represents the " c o m i n g to l i f e " of Ihe earth- W k c a n rituals of this day oflen involve seed planting, daneing, egg painting (an ancient Pagan tustomj and huge banquets of herhed bread, spring berries and rhubarb. Children b o m or conceived on Oslara art said to be healthy, strong, imaginative and "green thumbed." Ostara is the time to work rebirth Magicks, and an o l d tradition of Oitara is to call off debts- Some peo ples believe that by holding o n to the past, you prevent the future, so, to speed the future u p , y o u have to give u p die past. Unfortunately, the utility Company doesn't seem to understand that. A m o d e m way hi celebrate the severing of the past is to try to have ail of your December bills paid off by Oslara. Pay the bills. Save the paperwork that comes w i t h it. clip off the p a r i y o u keep for your records, and burn the rest in a greal stack in a fire set Ostara morning. Try lo spend the period between Oslara and Beltane accomplishing as much as possible. O p e n 1
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the windows^ clean the house, and finish Oİf the dark hail of the year so that by Beltane, the year is fresh and new. Remember, the ritual's just half nf the practice' The A u t u m n a l Equinox, also known as A l b a n Elfred, M a b o n , or The Feasl of Second H a r v e s t is just İ h a t a feast, held afler Ihe second har vest. Tlie celebratiun often includes feasts of grain hinds, domestic meats like m u i l o n or beel, and apples a n d tender young p u m p k i n s . A u t u m n is ronstructiun season where 1 j i i e w u p . and many Pagan intentional communities hold Barn-raising type leslivals. fixing leaky roofs, building temple spaces, nr even w o r k i n g to build houses for members who may not have the money l o buy or hire a contractor. This is, o l course, lully dependent on the n u m b e r o l people y o u have, but a hard day of physical labor, lopped b y a least really helps citified folk to gel the leel o l a day at harvest. C h i l d r e n born at M a b o n are gen¬ erally compared to thp harvest II i l was good, the rhild is said the " C r o w tall and prosper like ihe grain," but a poor season usually boded badly for an infant, not because o l his/her date of birlh b i d because o l the food supply, and the: child was said to be lucky to sur vive past Yule, -
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The Solsticesf.SoLstia) Like the Equinoxes, the Solstices are said by some hi be lesser cere monies. The Summer Solstice, called Litha, is w h e n the G o d and Goddess reign w i t h Ihe most power- It is a time o l high Magick a time for feasts, dancing, games o l strength and endurance and warfare [usu ally of the reenactment variety.) Children b o r n on the Summer Solstice are suppi>sed to be lieTy. smart, strong, temperamental and willful, red haired children b o m on the Solstice are said to be marked by the Sun K i n g , and will recei ve special blessings. Feasts of The Summer Solslice are o l orange foods, carrots, w i l d berries, peaches, and any Iruil which has a brief period of sweetness, especially persimmons- This is the
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night of Morpheus. Psyche. Dometer. A p o l l o and Horse. Prophetic dreams of this night are said to always come true. The. Winter Solstice, or Yule, is Ihe celebration of |he first day of winter, although, perceived by many as m i d w i n t e r and the contemporary W i c c a n ' i "Christmas." In my family, w e have a Yule Tree^, w h i c h w e decorate with star and m o o n Santas, b n o m g , cookies, cranberries, popcorn, our sacred cords and all sorts of relics, a crystal from this vacation, an ornament frnm another. O u r son is taught of St. Klaus. Woden delivering gifts from his. sky-sleigh pulled by reindeer, and of the birth of the babv " S u n " God- We tell Christian friends that our family is Wiccan. that "happy h o l i d a y " a n d " h a p p y Yuletidc" cards are acceptable, and " M e r r y Christmas" is less so. Frosty the Snowman, a Visit from St. Nick, R u d o l p h the Red-Nosed Reiodeer and such things can be very secular, and we hake cookies of crosses, stars of D a v i d , stars, angels, Santas, dredels, peace symbols and crescent moons and give them out in great huge batches to our friends, as U n i t y cookies. We've learned to accepl December H o l i d a y s as a time to celebrate our Unity as a human race a n d our individual beauties, loo, Ihe true goal of Multicultural]ty. A t Ritual, we give each other handmade gifts, usually of foodb and we eaich pick a name out of a hat and give a gift to a coven member at A feast/parly o n the actual " C h r i s t m a s " night trace it. being alone for Christmas sucks, even if you're n o l Christian.). A child born o n Yule is said to have the power of the Sun G o d . and the mother is said to be blessed too, of especial saciedrleSs are Infants w i t h black hair, w h o are said to have the powers of the storms, and very pale children horn on Yule are said to come from the w o m b of the Goddess and be great workers of Magick. Sonic say die gift child is often a changeling, and will die by s p r i n g , but bring greal prosperity to the family, not my idea of a Blessing. A venison Stew the night of Yule, rich with potatoes, carrots and turnips is Ihe traditional Yule feast, served with pan bread and Yule Wine, w h i c h Is often a cranberry-apple w i n e made at Samhain, or M u l l e d Cider. A vegetarian Wiccan meal 1 went to consisted of Stewed
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P u m p k i n wfth carrots and a bunch Oi Othe* blO^tulguifiriable vegetables and grains. A s 1 always say, "whatever w o r k s . " .
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Imbolc IttlbolC fFebruary 1st or 2nd) is the Festival of Ihi beginning o l the end o i Winter, a mora traditional and secular midwinter's festival, away fiom the hype of Christmas. Fires are kindled, and a light is placed in each Window to show good fortune the way to the house, it is said that to turn out a beggar o n Imbolc is to risk turning out the weakened Goddess in disguise. One o l d e r trad says, "Take a beggar into your house on Imbolc, give h i m y o u r best chair, your best meat, your best blanket, i l he stays until Ostara. you shall be greatly rewarded/' 1
Imbolc is also the festival of the u n s u n g deed, w h e n we lived in sub-ardc Syracuse. rsY. this consisted of sneaking out and shoveling the whole neighborhood, or driving around to fump start cars. Children b o m on Imbolc are said to be the "first children of S p r i n g " and w i l l always be one step ahead oi everyone else, beasts of Imbolc are of potatoes, turnips, bread, rabbit and venison, and are supposed to be both meager and h o p e f u l often using Ihe last of Ihe spices, salt and other supplies of the winter. *
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beltane Beltane (May 1st) is a festival which somehow escaped total absorption by Christianity, and. even in modern limes, has been practiced almost instinitually by county folk, usually as M a y Hay. Pink, white and red arc tlie colors, with spring prioiroses, violets, pansies and crocus the flowers of choice. Irises, sacred flower of the rainbow goddess, are said to bode a glorious summer if in bloom b y Beltane, and a rainbow on Beltane is a powerful mystic sign. Children, especially girls, born on Bellane are the "children of the Goddess," and children conceived on
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Bellane are said 10 have "luck and fortune beyond ihe w o r l d . " In celebration of Itrsephone's homecoming, howls oi flowers are placed everywhere, and nosegays are placed on Ihe doors of absolute strangers. Beltane is ihe ferllliiy ceremony SLipremc. with M a y Pole dances, and caldrons and bowls o l wine free-flowing. A word of caution here. Beltane seems in be the trigger for many powerful Instincts, and tire most responsible, least fertile people 1 k n o w have Utile January children to show for it. Likewise, if y o u are finding it difficult to conceive, try waiting a week and attempting on Bellane. 1 have i w o glorious "nleeeswho-aren't-really" as a result of a good friend taking my advice- With fertility clinics running In the tens of thousands for simple treatments, can faith, a little M a y Wine and a night of passion really be that risky? " Womanhi>od" Ceremonies, new business deals, real estate buying and other riles of passage are all for Beltane, as are the "passion" fruits, like strawberries, cherries, passion fruit and k i w i . Fating a pomegranate on Beltane is said lobe in bad taste, however, and ihis is a basically vegetarian holiday, no meat at the feast unless it's spring chicken or the first fish of the season. The essence of Bellane Ls party, starting all over and getting it right this t i m e rVo doubt of the Celebratory nature of Beltane is possible.
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Lughnasa. (August lst/(uiy 31st) is the least of the first harvest, and its feast is usually of grains, corn and blueberries. Children bom on Lughnasa, like children born on M a c o n , are said to be like the crop that is brought in. Very little is written of Lughnasa, and it seems to be a fairly recent holiday appearing within the past ."J00 years. Often Mabon and Lughnasa are combined into gieat harvest festivals once everything is done, and the suggeslion of defined first and second harvests conjures thoughts of machinery and single crops. M o r e likely, Lughnasa was the beginning of the harvesting season, with M a b o n its
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etui. Lugtuiasa, without ,ı d o u b l . is iluj moot often overlooked festival of the year.
Samhain S a m h a i n , [October 31st) pnmounred ~so-When" like "SO-When is Samhain?," or " s o w - w h e n , " like "1 was l o o k i n g at piglets and d sow w h e n she b i l me," is Lbe holiday thai has been confiscated, wrapped up i n a bright pink happy bag end r e l u m e d bo us barely recognizable as Halloween. Contrary i o bizarre portrayals by Wieean revisionists, Samhain was a lime for sacrifice in Ihe ancient w o r l d . sacrifice of those c a l l l e a n d sheep lhal wouldn't live through winter, but also occasion ally of a person, who. by dying with the G o d could sorl of plead Ihe case of a pleasant winter w i t h die Celestial forces.- C h i l d r e n b o m un Samhain are said to be great in power but altracted lo "necromancy, graveyards and other ghoulish things/' nod children conceived on Samhain were said lo be lbe incarnations of unsettled dead, so ses on Samhain is fairly taboo. ?l
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l l is said that the veil between the w o r l d s is thinnest on Samhain, and communication w i t h , and even attacks by, the dead are pari of its mysticism. Welcoming the ancestors bo the: Samhain feast is common, as is wearing masks so dead enemies can't find you. Celebrations in honor of beloved people w h o have passed away are common on Samhain. and it is the Wiccan N e w Year, because of the Ancient D r u i d i c belief that day began wi|h the sett ing of Ihe sun, and thus Ihe dark half of tiie year was the beginning. N e w Years resolutions are made on Samhain, and it is the traditional day to raise a eovener within the circle. M
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-Oilier H o l i d a y s Secular H o l i d a y s are practiced as much by Wiccans as anyone, and rituals for Thanksgiving, N e w Year's, e t c are practiced by many
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WiCCalis ,is a way of " b r i n g i n g home" i h e meanings of these days. Comrminlly, not just o l Wiccan (oik, but of ail h u m a n kind is built o n ihe fact that, while w e are much different, w e are a Inn much the same, blessed diversity once more. M a n y Wiccans hold oiher faiths w h i l e they an? W k t a n . faiths like reconstructions of Hellenic mystery Lulls, w h i c h don't requite that y o u forsake ail other beiiels. only that you believe what is required to participate It is not unusual, therefore, for an individual Wiccan or coven to have 5, 10, even 2d additional holy days i n their calendar. N o t to mention birthdays, anniversaries, and similar days. Tf nothing else, Wiccans seem to love hi celebrate and more, not less, is the rule.
Chapter Eight Life Changes: Birth, Marriage, Death B o m VVJccari
Blessed indeed are those children born i n t o Wicca, w h o don't need lo lose the Christian indoctrination of their parents. I myself, while m i l being " b o m " Wiccan, was "raised right" i n rhe Wiccan sense, that is, given the right and ability to explore, create, and "discover" religion as 1 grew. W h e n I first became involved in W i c c a , the coven I was in consisted of feminist Lesbians and " W i l d M e n , " a bizarre combination of two covens, lead by a priestess and priest w h o were like siblings w h o were attempting to counter the A n t i - m a n . and A n t i - w o m a n aspects of their respective covens by integrating them- From day one I learned that Wicca, like any religion, has its rocky moments, which probably saved me from the disgust and disillusionment that some Wiccans face as they discover themselves and their differences from the " n o r m , " causing them to leave coverts and organizations. A s head of Religion: Other, f managed to rnrner several Wiccans w h o ' d left covens, or left Wicca altogether. A l t h o u g h the reasons given were unique, w e fit many of them into ten categories, and labeled them, from 10 (4 of 30) to 1 (17 of 30) (Most of the people interviewed gave answers that included two or more categories.} It looked like this:
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W h y I left my Coven/Gcoup/Wiccaa- ı whole: 10: M y Profession wasn't respected by other Wiccans (4f 09: Mothing was being accomplished. (!>} 115: Focusing loo much o n one or two people (5) 07; Personality clash, not coven leader {6} 06: Personality clash. C o v c i l leaderCJ) 05: D i d not respect m y gender (10J 04: D i d n n l respect m y sexual uritniatio n/history (10) 03: Was causing too much stress in m y life. (11) 02: D i d n ' t respeel my spouse and/or kids. (12) 01: Expected too much of m y time (14] The Wiccan Family, w i t h its children, deserves more respeel than i l gels bv ils community. A part of thai is the make-up of Wicca, because w e attract diverse populations, especially those populations exiled by the Christian w o r l d , w e don't have as m a n y kids. We have a large gay population in Wicca, because we k n o w that love is never evil, and a large population of childless-by-choice heterosexual couples. Wiccans, as a majority, are pro-choice, pro-world type people, so when children are born to a Wiccan couple, it's usually planned, and, far too often, it's decided against. The Wiccan family w i l h children faces serious dilemmas. Wiccan gatherings rarely have daycare, and n f l e n bringing children is frowned u p o n , or just an excuse to gel treated rudely by inconsiderate people w h o have no clue about child rearing. I've been told I'm adding to the population crisis because o f m y son and the fact that 1 plan to have at least one more child before m y life is up has caused rifts between my family and some of m y covpners, b u l the answer is s i m p l e We, as Wiccans, are going to raise peaceful, respectful children to counter all the kids being brought up w r o n g throughout the worldEven if w e choose to raise our children outside of relighm and let them choose their o w n faith, a method preferable to die way most were raised, our morality, passed generation l o generation deserves to be continued, and the children o u l there shouldn't be denied it because w e have so few parenting rale models w h o an? Wiccan. Far better to trv t h a n d i c o u l .
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A child, raised by WiccBJlS, taught Ihu knowledge thai câri be taught and s h o w n the way to tike rest is given more clearly those loots w e fell deprived of by other upbringing. Parents attempting to raise a child in this violent, Christian-weighted w o r l d deserve our respect and assis tance, not further hindrances. A lew years -ago,! got together with two other Wiccan mothers, one ,1 fellow priestess, the other ,1 w c o n d circle teacher, between the three o l us. w e created the "Wicean Mother's Demands" for an Issue of The Green: The Wiccan Mother's Demands: We. the mothers of the future, in order |o produce a more perlect generation, demand the following of our community, or else; 1: Being a mother means responsibility, sometimes we can't drop what we're doing to come to a circle, please give us advance notice. 2: Childcare at Wiccan Gatherings s h o u l d he available, peaceful and producdve. 3: O u r children, not our covens, come first. 4: O u r children, w h e n they are at gatherings are going to be noisy, playful, demanding and occasionally disruptive. They are chil dren, that's part of their job. 5: We-have the right to bring our children with us, and no one has the right to slop us. For us. at least, and the few other W i c c a n Parents we know, bring ing our children up Wiccan means bringing our children up free, and that if that freedom causes our children to choose another religion, then so be it. M v child is not Wiccan, he isi a child, and religious deci sions aren'l his duly, being a child is. if I can balance teaching h i m m y beliefs, and the beliefs of other people, h e ' l l probably choose m y way, but it will be a choice. The Wiccan parent, a l least knows that thai smaller being is a human being, and he has choices, loo, even if they are more restrictive.
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Puberty: Womanhrxtd, M a n h o o d W h i l e w e raise our children, w e l o o k forward to the trials of puberty, anrf start f m m tbe moment of birth to teach respect fur Ihe sexes, self-control and responsibility. O n e example, i n a Book of Shadows of a m o d e m Irad, reads: " A t the age of about five, a child should be given M o u t h i n g to lake care of, something little, like a hamster, or a goldfish. If the child doesn't d o what is needed to take care of the animal, demand it, and, if, after a few years, the child shows responsibility, you may w i s h to give him/her something larger. By puberty, the child understands that taking care of things requires work, and you've done a great set-up f o r a frank talk." We need to teach o u r children from d a y one that having sex means " g i v i n g u p " childhood to an extreme degree. Responsibility, self-control, and the demands of a sexual life are taught in our parables and myths, and the punishments for things l i l e rape and excess in those mylhs are swifl. severe and memorable A coming of age ceremony, designed b y the parents and child, should take place when the parties decide that the child is ready to be a self-responsible adult. The actual moment of transition aids a child i n the " a m I too young to?" decisions, and knowledge of a parents respect and expectations changes the dynamic of the relationship completely. Unlike Christianity. Wicca teaches automatic response, "if you d o this, y o u will be punished now/' and "this life matters, don't mess it u p . " By showing our children that they are responsible for their actions and they axe accountable for them from day one, we teach control and responsibility. By teaching compassion, forgiveness and the ability to change, w e teach divinity. If is easy for us to believe, "1 am Codldess)." but what we have to teach is, "So are y o u . "
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The Wiccan Marriage The Wiccan Marriage, or Handfasling, i s a vilal part of the religious lives of thousands Of Wlcraru w o r l d w i d e w h o have decided to be
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joined in the eyes i l l the Ckddess and G o d rA trier than in a civil ceremony. Few Wiccan priest/priestesses are i r u l y licensed l o d e civil marriages, and a secondary wedding takes place at the justice n l the peace or similar ollice for many Wiccitn couples. The Handfasling is more than a document, however, and many choose a handfasling w h i c h marries tliem in tile eyes of the Gods, but nut the civil marriage, freeing them for non-traditional marriages that the stale may not approve of. When The Defense of Marriage Act was before the United States Congress, many congressmen and women received a version of the following letter from Wiccan Clergy. The letter demonstrates the ideals commonly held by Wiccan/Pagan clergy concerning sarnc-sex marriage: Tu whom it may CcmCcm: Given the nature of the continuing debate lor and against the legal marriage of Gays and ieshians, il SWIMS biij
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oflltcir marriages retügnized by the Slate, effect ivety denying lens of thousands of people theirfreedom of religion. No rational person expects rctigkms lluit are against homosexuality to begin to hand out marriages betioeen same¬ sex couples. As always, each religion has the right to determine the aualifications to he married within their church, bat the State does not have the right to limit those qualifications beyond expecting thai all participants are not having their rights .'iotated by the church. A religious marriage is a contract between those being marrietl and lire church tltat is marrying them, a sacred contract that is limited only by the religion's rules and knowledge that all par¬ ties are capable (Is; Sound of nand, of legal age and not under duress! ofconsenting to that contract. It is against both the tetter of the Constitution and tlur spirit ofit in essence. D O M A tells the public that only those religions of whicli certain people approve mau be given the full protection of the First amendment. r
You don't Itane to agree with Same-sex marriage to disagree with DOMA. but the carefully practiced division of the public into "goad, moral folk" ami "godless liberals" must 1*? seen through like the tactic tlial it is. a mere method of telling people what's good to think and what's boil to think. Mu morality, my thoughts and my beliefs are not regulafed by or registered with the Congress of the Unitei! States, anil although S disagree with the tactics of secession "Freemen" groups, t am more than witling lo fight the Government if they ever expect me to join their church, think their way and do their bidding like a mindless Jesse Helms clone, lam an American, patriotic and proud of my country, and I will not watch the Constitution be destroyed in Hie name of "defending marriage. There are two main types oi H a n d tailing, mostly based o n practices o l the ancient Celts. The first, which appeRrs In he unique tn Wicra i n the modern age, is the "Year a n d a D a y " handfasting, which is renewed for not] every year and one day. T h e commitment here is not temporary, but. at tiro end of the period if tire couple cannot honestly say that they still love each other, they begin proceedings to fix or end the marriage. A Priestfess) w i l l advise participants i n this ceremony lo not have children unless a contract stipulating custodial rights Is created i n advance-
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The Second handfasling is muLh like the JudeO-Christian ma rridge. and is lor " A s long as love shall last." as opposed to "till death do us part." The reasoning behind this is two-iold, firstly. Wiccans believe a marriage without love is a sham, and s h o u l d be dissolved as soon as possible- Secondly, Wiccans don't believe that death "parts" lovers, and many Wiccan widowf.er)s talk about "fueling" their spuuse, w h o often convinces them to "move o n . " Sometimes., a year and a day handfasting is required before a priestess will band fast a couple indefinitely. In order to be married i n Universal Eclectic Wlcca, and many other Wiocan baditions, a couple is asked to interview with Ihe Priestfess,) firsl as a couple, and then individually. The purpose of this is not so that the Priest(ess) can veto Ihe handfasting, but so that (sjhecan find hidden issues the Couple may have, and help them decide if tlley are really ready to "take the leap." A n o l d tradition currently being adopted b y the masses, Ihe pre¬ nuptial agreement has existed in Wieca as "The Contract" for lime eternal. This is fairly self-explanatory, a couple sits d o w n and hashes out the contingencies for divorce and the rules for marriage. Part of the Contract is the Mediation Commitment, a statement in w h i c h the couple makes the commitment lo take any decision thai alters the contract lo mediation w i t h a neutral third party, preferably the prieslfesst or coven scribe w h o helped write the contractOnce that is taken care of. the marriage lakes place, often incorporating any number of varied traditions into each ceremony. Commonest is the "broom j u m p i n g " of poverty/slavery weddings, w i t h the broom then decorated and h u n g o n the couple's door to announce Iheir handfasting to the community, I lambasting actually lakes its name from the act of binding the couple's hands with iheir cords or a special handfasting c o r d , often woven from two-colored fabric. M a n y pricst(es*e)s actually schedule "check-ups" to insure a healthy marriage, and take a much more active role than most clergy. Choosing a " c i v i l " marriage to back up your spiritual one is a delicate choice. On one hand, you gain a document and recognition thai y o u are married by the government, mis can help taxwise and insurancewise
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and Is especially helpful If you wish to adopt your spouse's name, however, the primary purpose o l the marriage certificate Is to make money, and by choosing |o he married by a religious reremuny and nol a civil one you are nol only saving money, b u l lodging a form o l protest. Until such lime as alternative marriages are recognized by the government, a " c h i t " marriage is spiritually worthless.
The Wiccan Divurce Inevitably, any discussion of marriage needs a discussion o l divorce, and Wiccan marriages are no different. A good point about having a non-slate marriage is lhal the divorce foes, w h i c h generally have a m i n i m u m of one hundred dollars, are avoided. This dues n o l mean i l i a ! the marriage just pieks up and dissolves. Many psychologists recommend a "ceremony" for divorce to a i d in the grief process lhat dlvOfCe causes, and more and more Judeo-Christian churches (.those recognizing divorce) are adopting them. We've always had one, and it's called a 1 land parting. Haudparling, like Hand fasting, isn't taken lightly, although many Handfastings that fall apart "peacefully" don't truly need tobe parted, and the COUple goes their merry ways, s i m p l y affirming "it's over" lo all parties involved- With a Year and a Day Handfastings. it is customary to [ all the friends, clergy and family und tell them you've opted not to renew your Handfasting at the end of the term, a Handparting is only done in matters of extreme difficulty in these cases, and is made more difficult w h e n the parlies don't follow their wedding contracts- In long-term Handfastings, the participants are encouraged to Handpart fur psychological purpi>ses. b u l again, if an easier form of "breaking it off" w o r k s for y o u , than do it. I feel it necessary to say here lhat marriages, Wiccan, Catholic, whatever, are held together by words and love, and lhat no magickal act makes a couple inseparable- People change, and the person y o u handfasl with may n o l be the same person ten years from now. A s we
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grow, and change, handpartings happen, a n d fLHLn^ your hand fasting w i t h talk o l "eternity" and "through all our lives and incarnations," Is damning any possible Ilandparting to increased diflicuItv- Farlier, J mentioned " p l a n B's," this Is another example of one, and jeopardiz ing it in advance doesn't make marriage anymore secure. If y o u love each other BO much that you wish to be together until tire w o r l d ends, then stay in Love, and he handfasted, "as l o n g as love shall last." W h o needs a greater time period than that? M a n y Wiccan i'riestlessejs expect a trial separation of those they've H a nd fasted, a sort o f " tryi ng i t on for size," similar in makeup and rea soning to the trial Handfasting. tfiis prevents unnecessary Handpartings. Handpartings lhat are finalized require an interview, Contract and mediation, just like the Handfasting. and in taken very seriously by the Wiccan population, but unlike a stale divorce, a I fandparting ran easily be tailored individually, allowing the partici pants m o i i leeway in their decisions. Often, a Handparted couple w i t h children will stay together as friends under the same roof to raise their children together, with a good contract, respect and prayer, any thing is possible, -
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The later years Tn many traditions, passage rites mark the passage into later matu rity, hut sonic feel thai the emphasis placed on "cronings" and similar rituals lessen the experiences for people at other stages of life, or even discredit ihose people. M v own teacher, n e w l y young at 64, flat out refused a " c i o r u n g " b y her coven, saying "age is but a pair of dares anil the length between them, and i I Cronings are indicative of experi ence, w h y offer i l now, not ten or twenty years ago?" If a person desires one, and is w i l l i n g to seek out Ihe ritual in a tradition that "offi cially" provides such rites, then the pricstfossj should assist in all ways possible, but s h o u l d refrain Irom recommending it- One person, upon recommending i l o l Bell Coven's oldest member received a sandal
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upside the head, shot from about 3D feel by someone who must people w o u l d describe as a " l i l l l e old lady" w i t h perfect accuracy, w h o screeched, "call me a: crone again and the other one's going somewhere worse." IhnTX seen women w h o revel in die lille. hut since U L W teaches that experience and active learning, not age. create w i s d o m , much of tlie " p o i n t " of such rituals is lost.
"The Pinal H i l u a l " Perhaps at no time in our lile does religion count more than the moment when we realise we're d y i n g . J remember a dream I had. early on in my studies, 1 was in the elevator o l a luturistic building <1 despise elevators) and bad gotten in at the top floor with a Catholic priest and another Wieean. A t die moment the doors closed, the eable snapped and we were all going to die i n five minutes- The other Wiccan and I immediately prayed to either be rescued or die painlessly, then I turned to the priest and confessed everything I'd ever done lhat was non-Catholic in m y life f1 don't know how, but I condensed i l lo a few phrases, and. upon confession demanded a really quick penance (the priest said that conversion was enough.) and 1 was "fnrgiven." Then. 1 woke u p . 1 immediately went to m y priestess, near sobbing, I d i d n ' t understand what m y subconscious was saying, ivas I not really Wiccan? Was I a closet Catholic? What happened alter J w a s forgiven, d i d 1 die? She told me to meditate on the meaning of that dream before bed, and sun? enough I had the same dream, only we were rescued mere seconds after the dream had ended belore. A s we got out, the other Wiccan tmy conscious) looked a l me, conlused, "you^ve one of Ihe mosl devout Wiccans 1 know, w h a l happened in there?" she demanded. The dream me thought fur a moment, then said, " w e l l , if we bad died, and he was right, 1 saved m y butt, if he was w r o n g . I know our G o d s would understand." The priest came up to us at that point, and the dream me fell embarrassed for having said lliat in front of h i m . I tried to stutter
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OUl , i n apology, bui he brushed i i n i l , saying. ' T h a i ' s okay, everyone is Catholic tight before they d i e , " then I w o k e up again. I've told numerous students this dream, finding that while aspects of it were fairly unique, similar issues had been brought up in the dreams and dialogs of numerous Wiccans. Confession, and the idea that a few words and actions will settle all of our post-life problems, is very appealing. Wicca is one of the few religions that doesn't say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what happens after we die. In general. Wiccans believe i n reincarnation, that the soul goes on to be " b o r n again" info a new body, to Jeam new lessons and continue its learning quest, but we don't promise tiiat we have the answer. Then- is simply very little proof- Out of body experiences of Christians sometimes include w o m e n instead of Jesus, and Jesus has appeared i n t h e O B E ' s of Wiccans, always smiling and embracing them, so even the "beyond a shadow of doubt" beliefs of nouvelle Christians don't ring true. I'll put it simply, we don't know. To prevent the detriment of the g r o w i n g graveyard, many Wiccans choose cremation after donation as their method of choice once they d i e This allows the parts of the body thai can give life to go on, and the parts that cannot are reduced by the cremation process. The ashes aie traditionally mixed with soil in w h i c h a tree is planted, many people choose to have a plate placed near or on the bee, or a memorial bench with an inscription beside the tree. The actual planting ceremony is written by friends, family, and occasionally pre-written by the plantee. One is included in Book Three: A Book O f Light. It's best to look into the legality of this in your area before y o u perform a planting, in many places, an u m is required and in cithers the ashes may be planted in a graveyard, but u n i o n private land.
Chapter Nine Ethics, Situational Ethics and the "T" word.
Earlier, we talked of the Five Point!,uf Wiccait belief, and torging a personal morality. Ethics are beliefs, morals auid teachings all rolled into one, a sort of catch-all phrase for w h a t w e believe to be trueOccaslortally w e ask. "Is something Ethical7," but cthieal merely means lhal it follows, or is like elhics, and ethics can be bad or good, so w e need a personal definition of " e t h i c a l " in hand before w e try lo determine whether or not something is ethical. One definition uf Ethical contains only those ethics that are " G o o d , " or " R i g h t , " but die difference between " g o o d " and "right" raises the question of the worth of wondering " w h a t is ethical?" again. With these statements well in hand, a student orice leveled a lecture of mine. " W h y talk about ethics at all in a discourse on Wieea7" he asked. "It's Covered by the Five Points, isn't it?" To a degree, I've already said all there is to say about ethics, and put it in such a way that y o u can glean the rest b o m personal experience- The Five Points of Wicean Belief are a circle. The Rede implies the Karmic Law implies Self-Pesponsibility implies Constant Improvement implies Atluiieinent implies The Rede, constantly rotating, developing new levels of interdependency and individual strength. To a degree, any discussion could end there, "these are the five Points, boom, you're done," yet the feeling of "something m i s s i n g " w o u l d continue.
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In the past. I have asked people, " w h i c h is bettor, i o bo gmxJ or right?" This is one of the prime questions of Wicean belief, often asked by Wiccans of Christians. We cannot comprehend lhal a C o d would set d o w n a set o i rules lhal were restrictive to ihe human race, and condemn lhal person for a malter of semantics. To an extreme degree, the ethical Wieean believes in right and w r o n g , and in what w e like lo call "Basic H u m a n Truths," Basic H u m a n Truths are those things that nearly every culture considers right, beyond shadow of a doubt, things like helping those in need and respecting everyone equally Cultures w i l h fewer Basic Truths, and thus fewer basic rights, are usually ruled by the corrupted lew, and the subjugated masses are miserable, regardless of religion. A
To the Christian, settling N o r t h A m e r i c a , the indigenous peoples were - w r o n g " because they weren't C h r i s t i a n , and w h e n starving Puritans were helped by natives, the reasoning the Plymuuthifes gave was along the linos o l " C o d is acting through d i e m , " or, "they've learned to be Christian by watching us." M o r e likely, the Puritans were recipients of a Basic Truth, " Y o u don't let your neighbor starve, no matter h o w crazy he i s . " W h i l e Wicca i s pacifistic, most Wiccans believe i n Ihe upholding of truths, in basic h u m a n rights, and most o l us w o u l d willingly die i l it w o u l d save or return the human rights o l another person. There is a large population of military Wiccans. w h o are asked " h o w can y o u be a part o l the industrial war machine and still be Wicean?," and this is simply not fair. The military Wiccans are fighting for human, rights and they deserve our respect, n o t o u r criticism, many of them do what w e aren't brave enough to do for ourselves. A s w e grow, and our popolation swells, the minority of good-intcntioncd but judgmental Wiccans w i l l need to unlearn their Puritanical hails and decide to be " g o o d " instead of " r i g h t . " Il IS better to be g o o d , even if you're nut right. It was better to k i l l N a z i s to save Jews, R o m , and everyone else imprisoned in World War Two than to allow the Nazis their right to condemn " c r i m i n a l s . " lechnically, many countries in World War Two weren't being " r i g h t " by fighting Hitler, it wasn't " o u r " business, but to be " g o o d " w e
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needed to act. not in the name of G o d or Country, but in the name of Humanity. H u m a n i t y is something w e a i l share. Admittedly, if a Vulcan starship pulled inlu Ihp U N p a r k i n g lot and Raid, "then? are other worlds out there," ifte rest of humanity w o u l d become a lot more unified, but I don't predict that for another few years, if ever, so if w e can begin thinking on a planetary level n o w , think of ihe welcoming committee. -
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Polities In at least two books on Wicca, I've Seen the question, "Is Wicca Political?." both times, this was answered " N o . " This is W R O N G . Wicca is a religion and religion, courtesy of the Radical Right, is n o w political. A s Wiccans, we have to gel i n v o l v e d i n the preservation of free speech and the right to practice our religion, the salvation of the earth arid keeping prayer O U T of public schools. We need to vote, because no vote means no voice, and o u r voice, shouting, crying or singing, needs to be heard-
Situational Ethics When "desperate times call for desperate measures," we invoke what are called Situational ethics. In W i c c a , Situational ethics often include actions that break the Wiccan Rede, because the Wiccan Rede is so all-encompassing. I have, you have, and we w i l l in the future. There is an actual way of evaluating the situation along Wiccan guidelines, developed by myself. Tamryn and L a d y M a n i a of Bell C o v e n ; it is called "The Wiccan Situational L a w . " Wiccan Situational Lawt The Rede is the law of the Gods, and in our growth and education, w e are presented with the occasional moment where the Rede clearly does not apply. These moments are: 1; W h e n H a r m i n g one saves many.
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2: W h e n H a r m i n g the Self saves many. 3: İn. cases where a person's justifiable W i l l may be against ihe law. Or the Spiril nf Ihe Law. 4: W h e n Basic truths/Human Rights are being Violated. 5: Other moments similar to those above not fully defined but still containing "Just Cause." Actions defined by Situational Ethics must be taken only w i t h full knowledge and acceptance of The L a w of Ket urn and ihe tlhie oi bell Responsibility, and are the actions of an i n d i v i d u a l and group actions must bo decided o n a n individual basis. Most Wiccan Clergy are grilled o n Situational Ethics and are good people to talk to when the decision jus! can't be made alone. N o Wiccan Clergy member w o u l d E V E R try lo make your decision for yOU, however, so go w i t h Ihe knowledge thai the decision will be yours.
Teaching, the Dreaded T w o r d The decision to " w i d e n the circle" by leaching is n o l to be laken lightly. Il'svery easy to get " b u r n e d " by people w h u practice their form of Wicca without the benefit of morality. Expect at least one stu dent in every bunch w h o is going to steail your books and glean no amount of morality from you. If y o u don't got one, consider yourself lucky, and if you get more than one, reevaluate how you are finding your students, or maybe your karma. I can say happily that such stu dents never STAY in Wicca. because their antics aren't condoned and Ibe instant "wave your magic w a n d , " type power they desire isn't found here (or anywhere else, although some groups advertise it.J t > [
Teaching is a parti>f teaming, so teaching in order to leam is impor tant in Wicca. and a group of equals in • sharing circle Is aa good, if not better than the a lecture set up. You are " g o o d enough" to teach w h e n you feel ready lo, so try experiment, and if you fall, get backup. M a n y
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Universalis! Unitarian churches rent rooms, and Iramim m end teaching outside your house (classes at home can be disastrous.^) so y o u may w i s h In look into such things. Networking, sometimes called "Web Weaving," is important to anyone teaching, and Ihere is absolutely nothing w r o n g with asking a student for references and checking them. A l w a y s keep a record of the students who've burned you. and w a r n anyone w h o asks about diem. Feel free to use euphemism instead of accusation. " W e l l , all m y books went missing w h e n he was here," won't cause a lawsuit and "he stole all my books," might. Never start a class with "friends" if it's going hi be the sit and reach type, because the stresses of the teacher-student and " f r i e n d " relationship Can be straining. Friends are friends, not students, so leach them as equals and let them teach y o u . M y experience has taught me h o w ever, that when a student decides to become a teacher (sjhe knows exactly h o w (s)hc wants it done, and no amount of advice can change that- that being said, I'll let y o n do as y o u w i l l , then, with one last w a r n i n g from an o l d Book of Shadows, " W h e n thrift asked of secrets or Magick by the same student, w h e n rushed towanis those things mystical and potentially powerful, remove that student like a cancer from your class, lest all your students be unbalanced by greed."
Chapter Ten Magick
ff should mention here that Magick and Wicca arc nut inseparable, some WiccBnv use Magick, some don't The Gods give us tools, this is one of them. > What is Magick? Well, There Is the Wiccnn stock answer (let me p u l l it here from my bag of standard trinkets..,) " M a g i c k is Ihe art of getring results." O f course, there is the more impressive " M a g i c k is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with W i l l , " of Crowley's Magick in Theory and Practice, but unless y o u w i s h to impress that really cute Melaphysicist at w o r k the first one's easier. I chose to define the Magic used in Wicca w i t h Wicca in its definition "Wiccan M a g i c k is change, directed by the Self, empowered by the W i l l and decided by M o r a l i t y , " A n o l d name for alchemists and Mages alike is Iransrnuler. one w h o transmutes falters) one thing into another. The practice of Magick is taking one thing, and creating another. 37
There are four broad groupings of M a g i c k in Wicca, along w i t h Ceremonial and H i g h Magick. w h i c h , w h i l e done by many Wiccans in ritual, are not religious i n nature- These are Celebratory Magick, Ritual Magick, Healing Magick and personal magicks. Celebratory Magick, Magick done i n ritual to honor the Gods, is advanced prayer, as is Ritual Magick. which is Ihe Magickal aspect of our rituals and ceremonies (to clarify. Ritual M a g i c k is done at ceremonies.
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and Ceremonial Magick has nothing to do with Wiccan riiual practice.) Healing Magicks are self-explanatory, and Personal Magicks combine Celebratory, J lealing and RLhjal Magicks w i l h "lesser" or " l o w " Magick for personal reasons. A example o l Personal Magicks In a non-Wlccan selling are novenas published in community newspapers. They usually Invoke Si. fude, and follow a rilual whereby the novena is prayed for a sel number of days, then published, and ihe prayer comes true. This is a bib "hokey" for most Wiccans, b u l I know c i f two Calholo-Wiccan brads using Catholic saints thai use novenas m u c h as other Wiccans use wishburying and similar rituals. Celebratory Magick usually Is power raised in the circle, directed toward the earlh for its o w n usage, or directed toward a god or goddess as a sort of token wibh a prayer. T h i n k of Celebratory magie and regular prayer like a delivery service, anyone can deliver a telegram {prayer}, but Celebratory M a g i r k is like delivering a singing telegram, complete with flower bouquet and four-part harmonics. Wc w i s h to show praise, glory, welcome and love for nur Gods.--how welcome is an Intoned ceremony, complete w i t h stifled yawns and rampant boredom. The G o d s want us to be happy, to survive to the fullest and best o l our abilities. "If 1 can dance w i l d l y beneath Ihe full moon, Ihe sand between m y toes and my shouts of joy echoing in the night air, h o w divine, h o w perfect, how h o l y " There arc primarily two branches or "sciences" of Magick used in all Wiccan Magick, Sympathetic Magick, w h i c h involves doing a symbolic action to achieve a real action, and Dynamic Magick, which involves using the body's powers in a non-standard way. A few Sympathetic Charms are given in parb three, but a g o o d lesson on sympathetic Magick can be found in any discourse on Wicca, and I'll leave talk of i l to those with expertise- Psychic abilities,. Healing touches, etc, are mind/body dynamics, as are all of the " u n t a p p e d " powers locked w i i h i n the Self, The "Self," or "Integrated Total Self," w h i c h w e spoke of earlier, is the entirety of the mentality and personality of a being. " W i l l , " "True W i l l " or "Total W i l l . " is the force of the Self- One of my students came
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up with the term "ITS W i l l , " l o remember the two and their relation¬ ship. You must understand that "The W i l l is the s l a v e d the Self, and has no limitations-"^ With that in hand, and a healthy dose of morality, the Wiccan improves his/her life as m u c h as (s)hccan. Strength of W i l l improves the level of can, as does belief, but it seems that, as y o u grow in W i l l , y o u need less and find mote enjoyment i n the smaller things, so it's a bit self-defeating. 1
I had the good fortune to "Fail i n " w i l h a group of Metaphysicists. nicknamed "the o l d m e n " because meet of ineni were over 50 and argued over Metaphysics as easily as they argued over Talmud, and since, of the eight, seven wen? Jewish and the eighth a self-proclaimed heretic, Talmudic arguments came easily. L i k e a k i d in a fantasy novel, I ducked into a coffee shop to get out of Ihc rain and heard this whispered argument i n die corner where four o l the men were sitting. Heing nosy, I got a drink, sat at the table next to them, put on my headphones (which were off) and prelcndcd to read m y book, listening intently. Mow, asa teenager, I'd tried Satanism, I think most of us do when we realize "cimveimoiial" religion doesn't fit us. From there, I went into a very " d a r k " neo-goth Crowley sect and wore ail black, but 1 was the only female there, and I quickly realized that being the love object of a batch of intelligent but wasted (in more w a y s than one) teenyboppers was not m y idea of study, and I'd read in passing more Crowley then they'd read In "serious study." A l the time of the "meeting" w i l h the o l d men I was absolutely lusting for intelligent metaphysical conversation, but my tea was gone, and I had to go back to the counter for another. Providence, or maybe the rituals p r a y i n g for serious discussion, stepped i n , and while I was a l Ihe counter; one of "the O l d M e n " told the woman they were out of sugar at his table. 5he was busy as hell, so 1 grabbed the sugar carrier from a nearby lable and lold her " F i n i s h what you're doing. I'll give them this o n e . " I had several pieces of jewelry made by a boyfriend in copper and 1 was wearing a thick bracelet on m y right arm with various metaphysical phrases and symboLs of protection upon it, and a few choice phrases from metaphysical tomes* 1
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I purposely stretched my arm a few inches h u m Ihe guy's rinse lu place rite sugar carder on iheir table, repeating "notice it, notice it, notice i t , " inside m y head, and sure enough, he saw it, and asked me about it. I asked h i m i l he knew what it meant, and he said yes, and asked i l J d i d , and I translated, I'll tell y o u right now, a tew nights before 1 had Jonah, a good friend and Clansman, write the Inscription out for me, because I could not read the Script. I bluffed m y way i n , though, w i t h a few choice C r o w l e y quotes, a bit of I lermetic philosophy, and a menial note to " d o m y h o m e w o r k " if they invited me back. 1 was asked to pull up a chair-..it was the first of several times- J learned lhat year three vital lessons, M.igiek works and as a rule, Metaphysicists are sexist pigs, and the o l d e r they are Ihe worse it is. I l y u u wish to do " m o r e " magically than the simple healing charms and such, begin your " t r a i n i n g " by f i x i n g ihe damaged W i l l and the damaged Self. Ciet rid of your addictions (smoking, too) by affirming that y o u W i l l to not have diem. If y o u f m d y o u cannot quit, your W i l l is weaker lhan the addiction- I've been " h o o k e d " on things before, and by inflicting my W i l l . 1 shipped. Anyone can. it's jost a measure of the ethic of Self-Responsibility. It's willpower, and if I have one Ihing, it's willpower. I've "detoxed" people by g o i n ^ for the ego. and if anyone out there is addicted I'll tell you right here that I'm a coward, a great, shivering coward w h o cries at movies and is so agoraphobic that the forest at nighl scares me half-witless, and 1 was strong enough to quit,-, what's your excuse? Once your W i l l is beginning to heal, test it and strengthen it with little aflirmations of W i l l , like conquering fears. Most o l us are w a l k i n g w o u n d e d , by affirming the W i l l , y o u heal some w o u n d s and keep from becoming w a l k i n g dead. I'll w a r n y o u right n o w that as y o u grow and Jeam in metaphysics, you w i l l begin to detest it. The stronger y o u become the more y o u know, the more yoo k n o w the less you like. 1 cannot stress enough h o w m u c h better i l is to gain enough power metaphysically to have Total Self a n d Total Will and chx>nse to use them o n l y for inside improvement. I've seen so many good friends go into the "Death" of knowledge that 1 w o u l d n ' t w i s h it on anyone-
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M a n y of us. Strong W i l l Of not, don't live through lhat slage of development, and frankly, I think most of us d o n ' t want to. II you use your Will outside of a religious and mural context, Li's n o i Wiccan, and a decision may come as y o u grow In Metaphysics thai morality isn't a question anymore, but a hindrance. 1 w o u l d never be so bold u to tell anyone that they an? w r o n g , bui if it gets, to this, point, take a mental "vacation" for a few weeks, do no Metaphysics and no ritual, then read over your journals.) You may find that your changes are the work of an outside force, maybe a "teacher" and that you need to adjust your path- Balance reigns supreme in Metaphysics and nature, and a slow descent into darkness or over-zealous goodness w i l l begin to cause harm. A s w e integrate Our Self, we need to improve all of it to stay "balanced." fust as y o u wouldn't hammer a nail w i t h a rusted hammer w i t h a loose head and a broken handle, dciing Magick w i t h an imperfect tool (Self) is d o o m i n g the acl to imperfection, improve the body, improve the m i n d , improve the Karma, improve it all. It's not easy, b i d remember Constant Improvement. A n essential if y o u plan l u incorporate Magick into ritual is that y o u k n o w what y o u believe and why, and that you've answered many of your basic li fe-questionB.
Ritual Magick There arc three Magickal acts in most Wiccan Ritual (and for detail beyond what I give, J suggest Budrfai'd's Complete Book of WHclrcraft, chapter l i . and o n Magick in general, C r o w l e y ' s Magiok in Tlwory und Practice is indispensable.! These three acts are Casting the Circle (detailed in Chapter Fuur. and in Part three of Ihis work, named " A Book of Light,") Forming the Cone of Power and Goal-directed release, and D r a w i n g D o w n the M o o n / S u n . Doth D r a w i n g D o w n and Cone of Power Magicks require your confidence i n the Circle you've cast, so practice-
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The C c i » of Power is raised energy focused on .L point above the exact center or the cast circle. The Energy may be w i s e d by chanting, dancing, toneing or any other form of pnwer raising lhat works for y o u (there arc five ways listed in Part T w o of this book labeled: " A Grimoire"-) Once the cone is begun, the energy is increased and increased until i l eventually explodes from the tension point of the lop of the circle and is directed, usually b y visualization, towards a goal, either something personal, like the healing of a friend or the acqoisillon of a new job, or someüıing esoteric a n d spiritual like "gifting" it to the G o d s or the Earth- By using visualization, imagination or w e l l tralned "other sight" one can see ihe power as a field of s w i r l i n g light w h i c h fills the circle and is contained b y the Metaphysical boundaries Of the Circle and the W i l l o l the Circle's Ca*,ter(s.) D r a w i n g D o w n The M o o n and D r a w i n g D o w n The S u n are tradrelated rituals in w h i c h the G o d s are invoked into a person. Usually this involves an elaborate ritual, w i t h the reading of one of the v e t ' sions of the Charge of the Goddess, and similar male charges are read for the solar versions, and ihe "gods and gciddesses-" thai speak within the ceremony are from books, but I have seen the occasional Ecstatic YViccan group where the person w h o has the G o d s " d r a w n i n t o " them actually seems to "channel" another being w h o speaks to the coven, and once, o n a Beltane night Lady M a n i a , a very respectable and n o l easily excitable Wieean rricstcss of some forty years, began to recite the Charge and was seen to change drastically before about thirty people, and cease reading il. A surprised look o n her face, this priestess told us h o w pleased she was that we our rites that evening, and told a coven member w h o was infertile that he and his wife w o u l d have a child by Irnbolc, whereupon the priestess fainted, and d i d n ' l come 'round for several minutes. 1 suppose if [were reading that, I c o u l d n ' l believe it, but 1 was there, and 1 believe fas does Mart. 1 that w e m e t e Priestess of o l d lhat night, (no line thinks it was a Goddess, although I've heard sturies of Goddesses and astral beings jumping in to ceremonies and interrupt ing them to give important news, warnings and the like,) and she
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approved, SO we must be doing something right! (Their child, a boy, was conceived that night or thereabouts a n d horn January 2Uth, WIS) M a g i r k , like any science, requires ethics., and practice without ethics or In the l o r m ni Magick for Magick's saku may rosoli i n any number oí problems. A s with any science, use caution in your experimentation and start small.
Chapter Eleven Religious Unity and Community
Studies within the Second Circle also Incus i m the p a i l thai Wicca and the Wiccan play In the greater society. A key element o l this is the extension of Wicca beyond personal religion and into societal religion. What this means is, as w e bcconic move active religiously; we have lo become more active socially. Like so-called " M a i n s t r e a m " religion, as Wicca grows (and it is growing,) it needs to provide more lor its internal community. I've seen many the case of priestess) burnout from Wiccan Clergy trying to provide the same services thai the other religions provide without the benefit of a huge congregation and " r e q u i r e d " donations. Priest(esse)s are already our counselors, and most of them provide other services related to their secular professions. 1 k n o w of Wiccan clergy w h o are m i d w i v e s , doctors, lawyers, bankers and architects, and our a m i n i unity is fairly good at internal referral, but other needs m e l by larger churches are denied to us. I've been hnmeless, and had to sleep in a shelter, and get my meals served w i t h a side of Jesus, and let me tell y o u , it made it hard lo not feel oppressed. I've had to grovel at the feet of I h e i i G o d to stay alive and feel nauseous to my very soul while pretending to pray, so housing the Wiccan homeless and feeding the Wiccan poor are very real concerns of mine. In the Christian community. T a k i n g care of your o w n " i s a s t a l u s quo, but too often we believe that w e do not have the
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¡oscurce* needed to p r o v i d e The VVkcaf* uımnuıiiiv e. huge, and those resources are there. A n example from real life is a woman w e ' l l rail "Sara," wttQ had an old barn i n the back forty w h i c h connected lo the road a mile up from her house- " Y o l a n d a " was a w o m a n with Ihree kids and an abusive husband, and was an expert at redecorating, and had learned such things as sheelrockirig and laying floors- Z a c h , Sara's husband was an electrician, and had rewired the bam. w h i c h already had a hookup with die house lines, and with Sara's help, he altered the plumbing, putting in a second toilet and a shower upstairs and they created this wonderful tiled bathtub from an o l d water trough and put it in the large tack area of the b a m , demolishing the little bathroom to its left and creating an expansive batlı room complete with a stained glass w i n d o w made of whole old bottles set in a panel o l plastic, (The broken and then sanded shell of one that faresoufs-ide n o w houses a bird's nest y o u can watch trom inside without disturbing the birds.) Yolanda and Zach spent the summer vacation laying floors while Yolandas hus band was away o n assignment, and that winter Zach added a new fur nace l o his o w n house, using the old to heat the bam, w h i c h they insulated and turned into one of the most gorgeous four bedrinim bam conveision houses I've ever had the pleasure to be in. Yolanda, after a fight that left her with a sprained wrist, black eye and worse, packed up Hie kids one morning and moved in. finally having a saf e place from which lo settle their divorce, tucked away on a back road that friends could monitor once the restraining order was issued. After things wen.' settled, Yolanda and her kids moved to a larger house in a city, but to this day Wiccan (and C^ay and lesbian) w o m e n and men fleeing abuse have stayed In the barn, earning their keep by doing chores and work ing the land- Zach and Sara's large covens provide food and necessities to the bam. and have a netwurk to pn>vide aid when needed, and this has caused the covens to grow, even in a conservative area. The total c o s l o l refurbishing the bam. w i t h dimated and recycled sup plies was about two thousand dollars. Divided between the forty-two members of their two covens, this came to about 4S dollars apiece over
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six months. I'm not saying we all need to build bam houses, but how hand would it be to start a food basket program for impoverished COVeners? We cannot expert the Christian Churches lo pirk up tabs lor us although dire circumstances may turn us to them, and corlainly any pro gram o l ours would welcome any in need, not just WLCcans.., without strings. r
Providing help to our o w n in need is especially important as the federal guvemment pulls the rug out fn>m under aid programs, and as churches lighten their hells you can bet i h a i anyone not belonging to mainstream religion is going to slip thmııgh tbe safety net Since w e don't "recruit" like iUhc-r religions, Wicc-i needs to take care of its members or risk eventually losing more than w e gain.
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Part of being Wiccan is dealing with the ideas of the mainstream churches and healing old wounds. I. and 11 gre.it number of m y n i v e n members choose lo call ourselves "Wiecans" not "Witches." This does n't mean we prartire a diffETi'nt religion, o r that we're going with the stereotype of the Wicked Witch of the West, and it doesn't mean we're " w e a k " or selling out- I am not a Witch; I've said that before. I don't even nutty like the term Wiccan, but Witton, the only known alterna tive, isn't recognized or desirable, so I take the lesser of two evils. If y o u stuiiy the w o r d , and look at serious secular discourses on its meanings, (not pop etymologies) you'll probably find that " W i t c h " and " W i c c a n " don't come from Weicj, to shape or Witan, from whence w e get " w i t , " but Vineere/Vieo, meaning victory, from w h i c h we gel " v i c t i m , " "vice," and a bunch of other double-sided words- It is not uncommon for a une-or two-syllable word, to exist in many langoages w i t h different meanings. There is n o w a y to tell that the words Witch or Wiera came from one culture |ir the other I laving studied thPuse Of the w o r d in soudiern England and heard Wicca pronounced by Cornish and Welsh witches. 1 am convinced that the Latin-derivation, through Vicca fpronuunced Weeee-cha). is tile most likely one. it is
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easy tu forget Iha! southern Great Britain a Puman ptQTHncU, and that London Itself, and most o l the modern, southern ports, were estab lished by RomniR. Taken in Ihal light 1 find it hard lu believe Ihe word "Wce-eha" which Is unpronounceable in Gaelic, came from anything but Vices, in Latin- I know this concept thai Wicca and Witch came from the same root word as victim, is disturbing to some people, b u l I w o u l d not state so unless 1 believed it w i t h every molecule of m y being. When yOU say Witch, y o u fill the u n k n o w i n g lines' heads full of stereotypes, when you say "Wiccan," w h i c h is probably just a varia tion on an older word for the same thing, they either ask " w h a t ? " or have heard of it. W h y bother with baggage w e have little claim to? Even those executed "for Witchcraft" were rarely Witches! H ' d be like the Gay /Lesbian. Polish and R o m / Roma ni/Gypsy populations say ing "we're Jewish" because millions of them were killed in N a z i con centration camps too. Yes, the perserotion of the Burning Times was bad. yes. it was an excuse to root out non-Christians, but most of the people practicing what w e ' d recognize as ancestors of today's earth religions were spared because of talents they'd perfected from day one. Belief creates reality, w e need to cease believing doors w i l l slam and start turning the knobs! I remember a young Wiccan getting so angry at a person for using the word " h a g " fo describe an ancient Russian Witch character in a lit erature discussion group dial she turned nearly purple w i t h rage. She continued to darken throughout the entire discussion, because the witch was portrayed as o l d . ugly, mean, and child eating. After stew ing for a few moments, she let lose on us a barrage of hateful speech, declaring we, along with the Brothers G r i m m , I..Frank Baum and numerous others were campaigning under a banner of Christian prop¬ aganda against the 'ancient and noble religion of Wicca'. She left in a huff, and the members of the group Collectively turned hi me, w h o they knew to be a Wiccan, One member, a Baptist, said. "hJow y o u know h o w Z feel w h e n Fred Phelps calls himself a Christian." I bring this up because as a modernist. I am constantly facing peo ple, mostly young, mostly new to Wicca. w h o act in extraordinarily
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bad form because they've bought into (he metaphorical history of Wicca, instead of the actual history, and because w h e n they reclaimed the word " W i t c h " for themselves, they assumed a switch had been thrown and tlw w o r l d n o w used ihe term in their reclaimed mode alone. This example of religious identity gone shockingly w r o n g is lo be expected i l authors and teachers d o not attempt lo be a-, clear as possible about where metaphor ends and reality begins. N o n e of the great feminist authors reclaiming Ihe w o r d Witch for the past twenty years have claimed that the other forms of it should be swept a w a y This is a pure leap of logic committed b y zealous new practioners alone. One need only surf the net to find people campaigning that dictionaries, encyclopedias and textbooks remove the word witch in its historical usage and replace it w i t h a m o d e m one. W h i l e i l i admlrable to desire to have M o d e r n witchcraft listed in a dictionary definition of Witch, replacing the historical usage of it is- nothing more or less than censorship and n*visionism. Wiccans and Witches worth their s a i l d o not practice censorship and revisionism- We understand that building a bouse on a fake foundation damages the entire house, and choose instead, lo lay the smaller, but genuine foundation. We understand Wicca to be a modern religion, not an ancient one, and we've no need to claim otherwise to mnke It look more powerful, because w e already see it is powerful Many Wiccans are cxchrislians. with a l l the Issues, anger and frustration that ex-members of any faith have. Some of them act as detriments to the greater Wiccan Culture by d o w n t a l k i n g and destruying relationships w i t h their former churches. A Wiccan w i t h a balanced religious sell can tell the difference between disagreeing w i t h Christianity and being obnoxious, in the interest of tolerance, many of us won't call o u r Wiccan brothers and sisters o n foul actions against Christianity. We must not accept anti-Christianity as a natural part of Wicca. We must, instead, be w i l l i n g to reiect Christianity as o u r faith, without rejecting i l as a faith for others. I was never Christian, and I liken it to Scrapple, a meat-product eaten in the region of the United States where I have been transplanted
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for the past 4 y a m The smell of It, tlic look, and the texture, as well as the composition, cornmeal. p i g parts, grease, turn my stomach. I have sniffed it. researched Li, and been told it w a s good by scrapple eaters, but I find it revolting and will always pass it by. Scrapple eaters cannot comprehend that 1 w o u l d not like their f o o d . They look at me, and m y big plate of wets and hot grilled c o n e y s , and think me m a d for not l i k i n g their food. M a n y Christians are the same w a y about their faith, completely not understanding w h y someone w o u l d not try it because they find it incredibly good. To me. it's as desirable as scrapple, and I'm sure my faith is as undesirable to them as theirs is to me- The difference is I don't go around trying to talk scrapple eaters out of their food, or Christians out of their faith. O n l y w h e n they d o it to me, d o 1 have a problem with their practices. The rest of the lime, I'm content to follow m y path, w h i l e they follow theirs, and even act togedier w h e n needed. 33
By asserting our religious selves, and acting in unison w i d i other religions, instead of |ust contrary to them. Wiccans gain a voice- One politician I spoke to about school prayer (she was against it already.) said she had "not realized" the impact that such prayer w o u l d have on nt>n-|udeo-Christian religions. The Radical "Conservative" Right says w i t h one side of its mouth that a minority has the right to affect a change, and w i t h the other side it tries to restrict all other minoridesOpen your mouth and shout! We are here! We arc ready! We're the Good G u y s , loo! A pamphlet handed out to F urld a men la list Christians by o u r organization contained this phrase, "Once we've r i d the w o r l d o l child abuse, murder, rape, lack of respect, hunger and strife, then, if you still feel that way. y o u can try to convert us. but for n o w , let's get our priorities straight. If w e can'l work together toward the same goals, w e can at least not hinder each otlier." Wiccans need to work side by side with those w h o agree with our causes, and prove that we don't have some vast "conversion agenda." To us, the idea that we're laying in wait hi turn ihe reins of the world into the hands of some " f e m i n i s l " overseer and indoctrinate children into sexless, nationless clones with mandatory
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abortion^ and sex-filled free love schools seems bizarre, even insane, b u l [here are vast numbers of people w h o actually believe this! Perhaps you've even accidentally picked up Iheir bonks or perused Iheir websitcs? 11 y o u have, you understand thai rnuchof i h e P K diat Wiccagels is created by those w h o would be our enemies, and that wonderful hooks like those ol 5eiitt Cuiuiingharn and others that should be read by rtonWiccans aren't! A good part o l ihls is this idea o l the " N e w A g e " 1 spoke of earlier. It is a figment; a thing dreamed u p hi classify us as fads, a way that those w h o hale us use to illuslrate Wieca, classing i l as a "Pet Kock." something that they can i g n i t e because in a few years it will begone. A s we grow and swell in numbers, as o u r secrecy ends, as we lay melaphorical claim lo the pre-Christian past and show that w e are not the N e w Age, but a m o d e m religion influenced by an O l d A g e Coming out of hiding, w e can ask " W h o ' s tike Pel K o c k n o w ? "
Chapter Twelve Narrowing Your Field within UEW
A l t h o u g h most people in Universal Eclectic Wicca remain i n the Second Circle indefinitely, there are a few w h o choose to narrow their field and dedicate themselves tn one or t w o aspects n i The Craft. These people lorrn the "Third C i r c l e " o l U E W , a collection of elders and craftsman that serve the greater community Unlike many Gardnerian-bascd trads, U E W ' s Third Circle is nut seen as the inevitable conclusion to s t u d y i n g Wicca. 11 is the Second Circle o l U E W that corresponds to the " T h i r d Degree" o l other trads, w i t h all the powers that go with it. a Second Circle leader may even become a lay-minister, a type of non-ordained PriesHess). The Third Circle is both difficult to attain and time-consuming to belong to, hardly the place lor the majority o l us, w h o need to keep real, secular jobs or starve away in the wilderness. In order to become a part of the T h i r d Circle, you are asked to make a unique rontribuhon |o Wicca as a whole- The ereahon of a Pagan Alliance, a series o l articles in Pagan magazines requiring w o r k and research and writing a book are all examples of " U n i q u e contributions." The point of the contribution is mot to further Wicca. but lo expand the contributor, II one discovers n o t h i n g new in his/her creation, the point of it has been lost. A minim um of one year of m m to red work on the project is required.
Then? an? live "sctumls" w i t h i n the T h i r d Circle, called path',. Mr>st people w h o narrow their Held ol study d o It within these paths. The Way of The Scribe, The Way of The Bard, The W a y o l The Artisan. The Way ol The Counselor and The Way of The Seeker. The hive Paths are similar to the techniques o l at least one D r u i d i c School, and were originally created by Tanrryn Wyrmstar and The Brothers, o l The Wolf M o o n based o n their experiences w i t h several Druidic, Neo-Druidie, Shamanistie and Wiccan traditions whieh they originally incorporated into W o l l M o o n Wieca, a defunct all-male trad w h i c h , in its literature said it "Picked up where the Dianic tradition dumped us." Originally based on the thought that "every man lias Iris o w n face." the five paths are traced by W o l l M o o n members to an ancient (not Gaelic) Fam-trad (>l surviving Druids w h o gathered in five groups of five and line "master circle" w h i c h consisted ol the leaders of each group. The Five S, Mage, Hunter, Scribe, Bard and Smith, reflected the praebces, passed d o w n father to son of these groups, and each member ol the group was a master of their path. In Universal iiclectic Wicea. we changed the " M a g e " path, which supposedly has also been called " A l c h e m i s t , " to "Seeker" to represent the n u d e r n Alchemists who range from hard-core metaphysicists hi lab technicians to investigative reporters, anyone w h o uses a science to discover something " n e w . " l i k e w i s e , " s m i t h " was both outdated and too narrow a grouping, so we elranged it to Artisan to include anyone w h o physically creates " s t u f f with his talents. Scribe and Bard are relatively unchanged, although the subcategories o l both are numerous from group to group, and " H u n t e r " d i d n ' t sit well w i t h the vegetarian membership, w h o were nice enough to abstain from our ritual hunts on sacred (preserved) land without faulting those who chose to participate. We added the category "counselor" because of a trend we mrticcd of people w h o seemed to be poor at leadership positions but great as listeners, and subdivided it into teacher and counselor. The Scribe, called First Path, includes those w h o choose writing as their expression and those w h o organise the coven and its works into a unit- In " d e e p " ritual situations, the scribe's robe is black, often
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embroidered w i i h m LI Hi-colored runes representing knowledge and C o d s of die M i n d and knowledge. The great work a scribe might do lo ji>in the pRth could range from transcribing ancient texts |o digital format to creating a new masterpiece of Fagan literature lo something completely different T l w Bard, called the Second Fath, is the bringer of knowledge and the bearer of news. In ritual, the Bard is drummer, storyteller and any number of other expressive parts. I admit that I have a certain fondness for this path, having w o r n the Skyrobe at my first T h i r d Circle ceremony. The Skyrobe, the ritual Bardic robe is a light blue, often with embniidcred Celt/Piel-like knot work. Occasionally, a Coven led by a Bard chooses l o practice one of the Bantic trads, and ail of the members are trained toward the Third circle a n d the Skyrobe. This type of Bardic Wicca is just one of a number of Universal Eclectic Wicca subgmups, called "septs" and one of the infinite possibilities for specialization w i t h i n the trad. The Artisan. The EarEhiobed T h i r d Path, is the creator, the one w h o works with her/his hand to form the objects used in Ritual. The Artisan's talents range from chef to gardener to weaponsmilh, and vary w i d e l y from person to person. One A r t i s a n I know says he is a person w h o "gave his heart to Wicca years ago and now needs to plunge both hands into it and make i l g r o w . " O f Universal Eclectic Wicca T h i r d Circle members w h o consider themselves " D r u i d , nunWiccan," just under one half are Artisans, most of the rest are Seekers. The Path of The Seeker, the Fourth path, seems lo attract the lion's share o l Metaphysicists and "standard" scientists. In the trad from which we learned of Ihe Seeker, he Ls the Mage, discovering new things to leach the coven. T w o important subgroups currently are formed o n The Seeker's Path, The Mage, one w h o has dedicated h i m self to Magick, and The Geomancer, one w h o has dedicated his Magick to the study/healing of the Earth, A n o t h e r name for Geomancer is Seeker-druid. and was " a d d e d " by the initial members of Universal bclectic Wicca, w h o , as I've said, brought a lot of their D r u i d i s m into their fai|h.
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The youngest path in Universal Eclectic WLCCEI is The Path o l The Counselor, w h i c h has existed lor about seven years and is generating some excitement and reshuffling in the circles- Originally, n Counselor was an inactive pricst(css), but a large number of people appeared w h o wanted advisor or teacher positions b u t not leadership, and this Path appeared to us w i t h them. Many T h i r d Circle Counselors become non-ordained priests or advisor to a Priest. In Ritual situations where a coven has decided to use the traditional robe colors, coonselors either wear deep, cobalt or navy blue or emerald green. The green represents the feih'le m i n d sown by a teacher, the deep blue is a combination o l Bard and Seeker, a person whose job it is t o keep the community aware o l the new developments and discoveries and use tales of history lo help with present day situations. 1 find it hard to believe in a tradition in which you cannot achieve a position without contacting a High Pries* and traveling to ondergo some rite in w h i c h y o u magically "become" what y o u k n o w y o u already are-In Universal Eclectic Wicca, the Third Circle is the only "certified" Circle, and the reason for this is uniortunale, but simple. There are people out there who " c l a i m " to have a degree but don't. 1 don't mean the people who belong to strange traditions or have trained themselves, I mean people w h o say, "I am a umpteenth-degree whatever with this tradition," without ever gaining that degree. Tn Universal Eclectic Wicca w e ask that a person seeking a Certificate of the Third Circle be interviewed by a Priestfessl and that that person sign a document that says that they will follow Hie Rules of Universal Eclectic Wicca. This can be done over the phone and by mail when needed. When The Association of Universal Fclectic Wicca Clergypersons has the person's signed Declaration of Intent and a copy or picture of his/her Unique contribution the priest(ess) receives a certificate, and their data is stored in a database. This system isn't perfect, but it does seem to make fraud a Utile less prevalent in Universal Ecleclic Wicca than in some traditions I won't mention.
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O n clergy Universal Frlerlic Wieca has Ihree types of clergy, I a y Ministers, elected Clergy and Ordained Priests. If egardlcss cil title, all Clergy are elected by their coven, either in pairs nr separately. Positions are held for a year and a d a y with elections h e l d the day a term runs out. Regardless o l a person's clerical litle, someone w h o is re-elected for ten years straight is said to be a " H i g h " Priestfess) of thai coven and is expected lo step d o w n for at least a year and let another hold the reins, acting as an advisor to the coven's leader. Before a person can ask for a vote and he considered for the position, fsfrhc needs to prove thai they haven't merely sat around " b e i n g " a priestfess) and that they've provided a significant service tu the Coven. A leave of absence by a priest or priestess with a theological purpose, such as studying lor a degree relevant to their position or writing the tradition's textbook allows "time off" for those holding the position of Priestfess) without loss of title- Likewise, anyone w h o has ever held the title is still called a "priest(ess). although not many choose hi do so. M a n y Universal Eclectic Wicca C o v e n s have no Third Circle Members, their leaders. Second Circle members who've been elected to the coven leadership are called " L a y - M i n i s t e r s . " A Lay-Minister can do everything a Priestfess) can do except teach people above the Second Circle, perform civil Handfastings or mediate fiandfasting contracts without supervision- The majority of U E W ' s coven leadership are Lay-Ministers. Lay-Ministry allows for a lessening of accountability to ihe coven and is die more effective position for those without the time to dedicate to intense Theological discourse, crisis intervention and everything else the coven might require of them. Elected Clergy are the leaders of covens oyer 8 people in number that have been elected by a one person one vote election in their respective coven. Elected Clergy may he of any circle w i d u n the U E W tradition, but are required to take the Oath of Practice Each groop may have 2 elected cleigypersons. Groups over 13 in number may add one more for evey 1(1 members, if they see fit (3 at 14-23,4 at 24-53.5 at3443,etc).
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Elected Clergy must be 21 years of age o r older, although an elected clergyperson can become a provisional or a c l i n g p r i e s l o f a coven provided s/he is assisted by a Lay-minister i>r ordained priest of 21 years or older and is 1H years, ol ago or older. Elected Clergy, or priest/esse/s, an? elected to serve a term of no more than 366 days, this election may be done in a manner so decided by the Coven body, provided all Coven members have one vote. Those elected clergy whose secular training in therapy, law or mediation give them special talent in hashing out a handfasting contract may d o so, but those widiout such experience mav not. Ordained Priest(essc)s have gone a step beyond election. Ordination varies from State to State, and place to place and it is the ordained PriesI(osse)s w h o m the state recognizes as Religious Leaders. W h i l e many states have ordination procedures that the candidate w i l l have to follow, The Church of Universal F r l e r t i c Wicra has guidelines w h i c h must he met before w e allow someone to become ordained. I w i l l be frank w i t h y o u , these ordination Procedures were not in place w h e n I first became a Priestess, if they had been. I w o u l d not have been oniained. I am pleased to say, however, that 1 have since gone through each and every line of these requirements. O r d i n a t i o n Procedures of The C h u r c h of Universal Eclectic W i i c a "Candidates for Ordination nucst be Third Circle Members who've been elected to two terms as coven leader. One of these terms may've- been as a Second Circle Lay-Minister, The Candidate inust've studied for at least one year each in any two of the main paths of The Third Circle, either under an Ordained Pricstt.ess) or under a T h i r d circle member of that path. The Candidate must be sponsored for Ordination by a n Ordained Priest(ess), this Priestfess) w i l l serve as the Candidate's A d v i s o r throughout the proceedings. In addition to these ecclesiastical requirements, the candi¬ date for ordination must be a H i g h School Graduate
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with .1 trap d i p l o m a , G E D graduate* an? taken on a case hv case basis and even then, very rarely. 'The candidate ITUIHII demonstrate an in depth knowledge n i Wicca, Universal Eclectic Wicca and Comparative Theology b y discourse belorea council consisting o l a pre-first circle student, graduates of the First Second and Third Circle and an Ordained Priest, i n a d d i t i o n , the candidate lor ordination must've completed at least 18 hours of college-level course w o r k in H u m a n Services, the Social Sciences and/or Comparative theology, in order to count toward ordination, this course work w i l l not be counted if the final and/or cumulative grade was less than B (3.0). Before The C h o r c h j f Universal Eclectic Wicca w i l l recognize a FriesHessJ as - o r d a i n e d " (s)he must complete several tasks requested b y the ordained bricstfcss) advising him/her. These tasks must be designed to help point out and correct a fault or weakness in tile candidate's style of Leadership." A s y o u can see. ordination is not for everyone, and by no means should anyone ever leel " P u s h e d " in that direction. A s always, whatever works lor y o u is the best thing for y o u to do. 3 3
In the Third Circle, much of your s t u d y is sell-directed, and those who like to have tasks, hard or simple, set o u t before them in neat little rows are warned out of the Third Circle-1 admit, however, that 1 have seen a few ScdbeS w h o were more "SeCnitary to this or that priest" than "Scribe." One assumes that such arrangement is by choice. You may've noticed we speak more of "covens" in the Third Circle, this Ls because we believe that advanced work in Wicca requires an expanding circle, people to bounce your ideas off- It may take years before y o u find even two people who y o u wish in your coven, but a coven of three is better than solitude at this level, so a coven of three it is¬ A ci>ven in Universal Eclectic WLCca Isn't always a group of people gathering to d o their rituals together. A U t W ' s definition o l coven also includes bands of solitaries gathering together for discussion and decision-making.
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and one should by f>0 means feel that they need to give up anything to join a coven, it It isn't a mostly positive experience (every coven DOES have "off" days,) then leave. Likewise, don't mpike the mistake of "holding together" a coven that Ivas no "chemistry," it only leads to anger on the part of (he ill-suiled coven and the ill-suited priestess-} Unfortunately 1 speak frmn experience.
Chapter Thirteen Personal Remembrances,
Well, then? i l is, all of Universal Eclectic W i n d in its entirety, w i t h some omissions o l course. (1 could spend a w h o l e chapter on "septs" the traditions w i t h i n the tradition, but 1 think ynu've had enough of me by now!) and some nice little additions courtesy of Tamryn Wyrmslar, w h o has decided to use his o l d craft name to preserve his identity and Jonah Windsinger. w h o also declines to speak openly. You may be wondering how, or w h y even, the task of writing this w o r k came to me, I mean, I've been a priestess since 1992 or so, and m y initial priestesship was held in dispute by m y cot-en ior quitea while. I was a relative newcomer to Wicca, although J feel my m o m raised me more Wieean than she knew, and the coven had a hard time w i t h my "saili n g " into the T h i r d Circle. I've always been a tad mentally hyperactive. 1 get one thing in m y m i n d and 1 block everything else out. 1 breathed U E W in w h e n T encountered it- l | said, T discovered, everything I'd been saying for years. 1 won't deny lhat my personal introduction to Wicca was less than spectacular- The first book anyone gave me on Wicca was The Spiral Dance, and I knew that the traditions and practices just weren't written for the earthv Yankees of the snowbound northeast. Thankfully, I had a very cool Dianic Pdesless go. " w e l l , maybe this isn't the right w a y for y o u . " She introduced me to a woman from m y
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area w h o I'd met in passing about a m i l l i o n limes. This woman, a Priestess, was creating a tradition alter leaving the Gardnerian-based group she'd been with since the sixties, and she'd gathered up a microooven of dissenters w h o immediately loved me to death. I remember _i
sneaking out to go to rituals, even though, in retrospect, my mother probably wouid've lot me go. and running lo my teacher's house after h i g h school so that I could have a lesson, then be driven home in time to pass the bus and get in before m o m called to check o n me from work. I've had some of the best discoveries of m y life since then, like finding out that the girl in High School that I wanted to tell so badly that 1 was a Wiccan, and training to be a priesless, was the daughter of a Wiccan Priest and wouldn't have laughed at me at all. O r discovering that a Priestess named "Stardancer" was actually a friend Irom H i g h School and that my leaving a copy of a boob on Wicca at her house was what started her. 1 w e n l to Boston and discovered a coven w i t h the same name, Irad and difficulties as ours, and again and again found myself swept away i n this beautiful group of people. 1 left Wicca for a few years becaose the C o v e n I'd trained in had disbanded with our priestess' move to California, and I faced personal crisis after crisis, finally turning back to Wicca after the birth of m y sonWhen I came back, 1 thought at first that the changes 1 noticed were in "everybody else," but slowly, 1 realized thai I was noticing what people had blocked out for me. or thai 1 bad managed tu block out for myself, that Wiceans had a dark side, and that it infused everything witii those same superficial attitudes I hated in I ligh SrhrxJ. Covens were popularity and manipulation organizations for the most part, b u l even with a shelf hill of Auckland, Cunningham, et al, J d i d n ' t feel right with solitary Wicca. 1 achieved the Third Degree of the tradition that w o u l d become U E W in a ceremony with a priestess who w a s in town, and a few weeks later was olfered the position of Priestess, I declined because I couldn't stand what 1 was seeing in Wicca and had begun to look elsewhere-
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Somehow, I ended up being in a COvEf! who's leader seemed beller than all of Ihe others I'd met. and if look thai same w o m a n w h o brought me In Wire a saying, " w h y dn y o u follow him i f he treats you like crap?" ft* me lo realize lhal I was really suffering In this coven, and steadily beginning to treal myself as badly as I was being treated- (realized then tlrat there was a major generation gap in Wicca at the time, the " o l d " Wiceans, w h o resist change, and the " n e w " Wiccans w h o are the children of the sixties and knew nothing but change. I got out. r
1 formed a horrible coven. I was messed up. m y coveners were messed up and we left habng each other, it happens. 1 grew from it, returned to my first priestess and "took the slop," becoming U E W ' s youngest priestess. From my new position, 1 launched "Religion: Other, the Central N e w York Fagan A l l i a n c e . " 1 was told 1 was corrupt, power hungry and " h a d no right" gathering people together, but the solitaries spoke. "Thank You for our voice bark," they said, and when a man claiming to be Wiccan seduced his 16 year o l d members it was Religion: Other that called the Police, Peligion:Other w h o shut h i m d o w n and R c l i g i o n O t h e r w h o warned the world. That was m y lirsl trial by f i r e 1 went l o bed every night for two weeks with tears in my eyes because if R O had been more "out there" it wouldn't have happened. Not long after, a metaphysical bookstore gave us a list of people, w h o w e called and sent information packets to. For legal reasons, we've always listed the person, organization, etc. that refers people to ReligiomOther, but Che store took offense at us using their name o n the form letter. O n l i l the day we left the area, the store, w h i c h also sponsors very pricey courses in Wicca, refused to keep our signs on their " p u b l i c " bulletin board. The fight with them, w h i c h left me nauseous w i l h anger at their blatant lack of respect for their o w n community, was the second trial by fire, but R O went emit got nasty. I'm sorry to say, and for a while 1 was the vL-tim of a nasty whisper campaign I later discovered to be the work of the same person w h o R O bad ousted. Most of the whispers were ignored by everyone, but I was confronted on a lew of them. Yes, when I was in H i g h School 1 tried Satanism, no, l a m not a Safanist, no, J never performed any kind of
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sacrifice, and neither d i d any u l the -.r.mists 1 hung mil with, l l was a group ol kids getting wasted and talking backwards. It lasted two weeks in summer. 1 was there ior two days o l i t and let! because I had no Interest cither in drugs or the " g r o u p ' s " leader. J t h o u g h ! that those nimors and Ihe need lo defend m y past was a trial by fire, but it wasn't M y last trial by lire came w h e n the C o v e n I had been i n announced that five of the original members, i n c l u d i n g my priestess and two close Iriends. were H I V positive, as was a good chunk of the coven they had come from, where unprotected sen Magick (in the seventies and eighties) was a common occurrence. W h e n I wrote the first draft o l this work, w e ' d already losl one person, and the others had " w i t h d r a w n " from their Iriends with the idea that this somehow made it easier o n us- Of the original five members, only one has lived to see TJFW in i|s current incarnation. By the W i l l of |he G o d s , T've tested negatively repeatedly, probably because I became of age into an A I D S aware Wicca, and to Ibis day the guilt I sometimes feel of "being spared" burns inside far worse than any other pain I've faced. Perhaps wrongly. I feel I was spared in part to carry on the legacy, 1 was always the k i d of our coven, the dreamer. M y priestess, who has since passed on. cried w h e n I read her the rough draft of A l l One Wicca because it represents her dreams and mine, mingled into reality. Since the time this work was first conceived, Wicca has taken on a new and strange life. I find myself accused of being a dinosaur, of being the old guard, i n the face of new and bright youngsters w i t h a host of resources I could not have imagined w h e n m y journey began, youngsters w h o could not imagine the Wicca of the generation before them. M y liberal and passionate views on Wicca w h i c h caused m y elders such strife are now seen as stodgy and conserative by new, young Wiccans w h o are challenging all we held as true. The idea of Unity, of peace and friendship between all Wiccans and others of faith may be a dream right now. Divisiveness is rampant, and it may be years, or even decades, before w e fully realize the dream of those many elders w h o went before- Won't you join us in the dream?
Footnotes to Book One
hoolnoles.
1. tra+di+uon (tra-d |sho^n) n . 1- The passing d o w n of elements of .1 culture from generation to general ion, especially by oral com¬ munication- 2-a. A mode of thought or behavior followed by a people continuously from generation to generation; a custom or usage, b. A set of such cusioms and usages v i e w e d as a coherent body of precedents influencing the present 3, A body of unwritten religious precepts. 4. A time-honored practice or set of such practices- 5. Law- Transfer of property to another- The American Heritage Dictionary 2. The word "faith" is used here as oppused tu Religion. A Faith is a non-specific religion or religious Philosophy, like Christianity. Religions within the Christian Faith include Catholicism, Fundamentalism, Protestantism. Vineyard Christianity and more. 3- This is not to say that A L L fundamentalists share these same issues. This was in reaction to one church that referred to itself as "Fundamentalist." 4. Oerald Gardner Witchcraft Torffy Chapter Four: "Witch practices." Reprinted by MagickaJ C h i l d e Printing. 5. Crowley; This is worth a good belly laugh, but when one realizes that this kind of thing, spoken without any objection, is taken for the Truth, it becomes hard to even smile. 1«
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6. U E W T h i r d C l i c k Elder Tamryn o n the meaning of the word Universal, N e w York, 1990 7. Much of this is bitter described in Chapter Two of Tfrr Psychology of Religious Experiences, E r w i n Rajntsdell Gooxknough, Basic Books, inc. 19fB fi. The Church of All Worlds is described in detail in chapter 10 of
Drawing Dmvn tlieMoon; Witches, Druids, Goddess- Worshippers, & Other Pagans in America Today M a r g o l Adler, Beacon Press, 1979/19Sb 9- The hJewslederof C U E W / C o v e n o l The Far Flung Net. Formerly the newsletter of "Religion: O t h e r " 10. A certain fundamentalist Christian A u t h o r describes visualization as an indoctrination o r "cult mind-control," and while 1 think that's a load o l bull, by all means stop visualizing at once if yOU (eel controlled or somehow ind uctrinatni, or even slightly uncomfortable, l o r that matter. N o reasonable Wieean would demand y o u to visualize a certain way, not even me. Do A s y o u Will... U . T h i s is not to indicate i n anyway lhat one shouldn't build a Wieean C h u r c h . In fact, a stable worship environment is always healthy 12. "Let n o n e . / ' "Let n o n e " From t h e Erecting the Temple ceremony i n Ruchiand's Complete Hook of Witchcraft, Raymond Buckland. L l e w e l l y n . 1975.1977,1987. These are very Standard ritual components, but Buckland's ritual is such a prime example o l the art of simplicity that any s t u d y of these rituals seems bland without i i . 13 "enacted meditation..." from Chapter lour: "Creating Sacred
Space" otSpirai Dance; A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess. Starhawk, Harper &r Row, 1979. 14 "Length of a man's a r m . . . " The Deli Tower Book of Shadows. Bell Coven of Universal Eclecbc Wicca. Maine.
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15. "Occasionally, this is "the circle, n o w Open can never be broken." l | i This is in nn- means- an e-pression of Hetcroscxuality as better or even r i g h t A s 00* Half of n w o m a n . / w i m i a n relationship. I i n n very aware o l the inability m y lover and 1 have lo replicate A l ilui name time, 1 often acknowledge her masculine asprhi-ts, just like I often acknowledge m y o w n . Being hall male and hall female i * ihe lot of all of us-, chromosomes he damned. 17. "Persephone's decent" (torn The Second Black Water C o v e n Bonk of Shadows and Light.1944. M u c h of the infnrmation used is from The Delphian Text, l'arts Ihlrteen and Fourteen, Copyright 1*324, The Delphian Society. Tt should he noted that this is a very modern retelling of the tale, and should not be confused w i t h an ancient telling o l the myth1B. The Delphian Text, Copyright 19>24, The Delphian Society, Chicago, III19.The Maiden. Mother and Crone as A r t e m i s , Selene and Hecate is from several feminist traditions, although m y source was Motherwit: A G u i d e to H e a l i n g & I'syehie Development. Diane Mariechild, l S B L T h e Crossing Press, Trumansburg, N Y . 20 The Charter o l Keliginn; Other, A n Alliance of Alternative Religion, now defunct. Formerly Religion: Other The N e w York Pagan Alliance. Syracuse. rVY. 21 The Celestial Equator or " e q u i n o c t i a l " is the circular midpoint of the Celestial Sphere, an imaginary sphere surrounding the Farth upon which ancient astronomers thought the stars were " P l a c e d . " Because of Ihe Earth's nvtatirm. the Celestial Sphere appears lo rotate once every sidereal day. A sidereal day is the time it takes for the Celestial sphere to completely rotate and averages about 3 minutes. 56 seconds less than the solar day, w h i c h takes into account the movement of the sun in relation lo the Celestial Sphere.
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¿11 Our wicia 22 Buying a real true that's been cut d o w n is sacred tu us, i i symbolizes The dead C o d , and i i means thai, on average in c u t area, two trees w i l l he planted i n its place, a n d Ihat much more oxygen w i l l be available to breathe. Whan we're done with it, i l gets mulched, as d o most in our city. 23. Contrary to the hale literature o i some pseudo-Christian churches and the near yearly news article produced from |hat literature, there is no proof at there E V E R having been a Celtic god called "Samhain," although several bands, pels and a comic book character H A V E hail that namu. 24.1 i k e many other religions, a different view o f lile has lead us to tlte conclusion dial o u r G o d s have matured a n d don't require human sacrifices anymore, or even appreciate them. L i v i n g a good life, and t h i n d y i n g naturally is sacrifice enough for me! 25. Letter to Congressmen, Phoeni* a n d Kaatryn M a c M o r g a n 26. I don't know about your house, but mine houses a rabbit, a eat, two people with careers, a library, assorted guests a n d a male child, it is often a disaster area. If it wasn't clean enough, some of my students felt 1 was less than professional. O n e priestess, i n her book on running a coven, suggests that students w h o find their teacher's house to be less than neat and tidy should look for another teacher because it is a sign of laziness. M y o w n priestess, wiser w o m a n by far. calls clutter nothing less than "signs of l i f e " 27. Gardner. Witchcraft Today. Adler, Drawing Dmvn the Moom
Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, £. Other Pagans in America Today. 28- From "If 1 could w a k e " from The Second Black Water C o v e n Book of Shadows and Light. 1994. 29. It does work together! Balancing ITS and C r o w l e y , " Kat M a c M o r g a n and Jonah Emcdrod Windsinger, Black Water Arts, 1995
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30. " C o m e away, for I prepare for vou. M o v e , therefore, and show yourselves, open up ihe my&lerles of your creation, be friendly linlo me, lor T am Ihe servant o l Ihe same G o d as y o u , die tnie worshipper o l fhe highest." Actually. If was written in Theban Script, bui a l thai time. I was pari o f a small group o l seekers w h o believed, as I do now, that w o r d s have the power lo b i n d y o n , and that a phrase on a piece of Jewelry can keep y o u on track when y o u wear it. In retrospect, I think the thing was very tacky, actually. 31. A n d is most assuredly not the name of prachoners of an "Ancient Irish K e l i g i o n " 32. Wets: In the central N e w York area, a plate of french fries floating in beef, turkey or mushroom gravy. Coney: A " w h i t e " hot dog, spicier than a regular one rind mail*: with veal, nonfal dry milk a n d o d i e r tilings undesirable in n o r m a l human consumption. 33. Iittp://www.Cuew.org
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Book Two: The Grimoire
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One of the tools of ancient sorcery iincl Witchcraft was the grimoireM o r e than ,1 book of "spells," the grimoire was an instruction manual, telling the Witch or Sorcerer many o i the " n e r e i s " of the universe, I've gathered together thirteen secrets from i number of grimoires .mil Books of Shadows, both modern and ancient, for the use of the solitary and coven Wiccan with no grimoire of his/her own- The information here is not w h o l l y Wiccan. and what is Wiccan is not w h o l l y Universal Eclectic Wiccan, but anyone w i t h an interest i n o l d ways may find much of wllat lies w i t h i n useful. M y suggestion is that one use this as a starter grimoire. building their o w n from this point forward, I'm a bit of an Old mule in m y separation of the G r i m o i r e and the Book of Light. I know that many gather it all into one great tome, w i t h all their little bits of knowledge interspersed with prayers and rituals, but 1 Like to keep them only partially togetlier, if at all. The first three ring binder 1 bought spared me endless rewrites in blank books, and since then I've never kept a tome in anything else. I can't give enough praise for expandable tomes, so if y o u desire to separate your Sacred Book into Grimoire. Tuurnal and Book of Light, consider that each side will grow at a difierent rate and leave space accordingly. A s a Teacher, one of m y strongest problems is m y handwriting; m y students w i l l twist and turn their head Irving to figure out the peculiar backslant that m y notes and journals are inscribed in. A s a result, I have since turned to a computer and printer instead of a blank book and a pen for those works 1 share with others. M y feelings are mixed, on one hand, a floppy Grimoire just doesn't seem to " f e e l " very Pagan, b i d on the otiier. m y students look over m y notes a n d understand them. I've decided that it is 1, not the computet w h o is doing the w r i t i n g and that it is more important to be legible than traditional. M o c h of what 1 studied in writing A l l One Wicca were personal journals, so 1 realize that with the changing of technology my disks w i l l become obsolete7
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A s a. result. 1 print everything OUt in duplicate. Hopefully, if Wicca becomes suppressed. these printouts w i l l not read like some of ifie "transI a tions" of the great metaphysidsts of the past, w i l h the w o r d "Illegible" In ihe m i d d l e of a spell or worse, the translator's besi guess. Contents of this G r i moire: 1: Altars and A l t a r C l o l l i s 2:Elasic Herbalism 3:Candles 4;Corn Dollies 5:Crystals and Minerals fi: Divination and the last of ihe True Scientists 7:bivu C o m m o n ways of Raising Power »:Cods and Goddesses ^ H o l i d a y and Lunar recipes lfh Incense 11; Magickal/Craft names 12:Dedicationsand Initiations 13: Operative and Ritual Witchcraft
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Altars and Altar Cloths
"An Altar should be B U M from rtvod. FJI* metal, excepting tfune Attars loitb O H j a r t H B l b l i" u t t J l to hide the N H M J flradr. M H may omjaur I H H I ff met at is needed for (he hidden spare."-A Faun-trad "We crafted o u r Altar from an o l d iree s l u m p and by the second year it bad been sprinkled so often that the w o o d had somehow sprouted a new tree." "...H suggested a mifrored Altar for the fioonlight
riliads...ilds felt to as lite it doubted I he full moan that m^iir."-Wol f M o o n Coven The Allar (not hi be confused w i t h alter) is the sacred space upon w h i c h tools are kept. Two m a i n forms of Altars e*ist, round or pentagonal altars that stand in the m i d d l e of the circle or rectangular ones placed against walls or the lar east of the circle. Both are fairly simple to make, although a pentagonal altar requires more work. Decorator tables an? good, cheap altars, but can't hold much weight. Chief among the "bonuses" o l decorator tables is the lacl that they either fold up or have removable legs for storage and transport- Some decorator tables are all w o o d instead of w o o d and metal, fulfilling the requirements of some trads. To make a round altar simply, take a wotxien crate and glue a round piece of plywood to it. or attach three, four or five equal length "legs" to a single piece- One m o d e m Book of Shadows suggests five decorative posts, cut at slight angles, glued with silicone to a plate glass mirror. If vou have a root worker w h o twisfs w i l l o w roots into stands and r chairs, that would make a sturdier stand fear a mirrored altar. Mirrured altars are fairly new, although The Sacred book of one Fam-trad has a reference h>a two hundred year old one-As. a practical matter, mirrored I v.
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altars double your I. . hut they also scratch, break, and weigh a lot. They are wonderful stationary altars outside or in, but lousy if y o u plan to move a lot A " T " altar is easy to make, s i m p l y glue three pieces of equal sized p l y w o o d together, in a sort of double-legged T shape- For strength, add a fourth piece so the altar resembles an H with a line across the top. These tend to tip w h e n built too n a r r o w l y so be careful. Altar Clotbs are circular or square and bang about half way to the floor. Usually an altar cloth is while, although many lunar rituals use black or deep blue altar cloths. The Night Sky cloth, or Universe cloth, is studded with small stars that are either "nailheads," secjuins or needlework and is sometimes used in fancier rituals. If y o u are going to use an untreated cloth, make sure it's cotton, because cotton doesn't tend to burn quickly. To be safe, either put a piece of glass {round table glasses are available at many department stores at reasonable prices) on top of the altar or spritz the altar w i t h water before the ritual. A n altar glass is a wonderful thing if y o u wish to LLSC your d o t h more than once, since wax is very difficult to remove from many materials. To remove wax intra a cotton cloth, freeze the cloth, and snap off the frozen wax that can be removed in thai manner. If only a small wax stain is left, you can remove it by machine-washing it alone in hot water, then tumble drying o n high with a d r y o l d t o w e l If a large stain remains, weight the cotton cloth by tying it around a rock and then boil it in a large pan of water. A l l o w the water to Cool, and then place the pan i n a refrigerator or freezer. The w a * s h o u l d form hard lumps on the top of the surface of the water. If thatSTTI.I. does not work, iron the stain between two o l d towels, wetting the top towel or using high steam- If all else fails, many d r y cleaners can remove wan chemically. A n altar glass is not optional if y o u intend to use velvet! Velvet b u m s fairly easily, reacts poorly to salt water and is nearly destroyed by better waxes (Like beeswax.] The altar glass, backed by black velvet, is used for scrying by the more Magickal trads, and, while not as effective as a mirror, does improve the amount of light your candles
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give. IE is not a staggering investment, a n d if yOU Can keep iE in One piece i l saves money in the long r u n . M a k e sure to slick fell lo the bottoms nf very hard (like- iron) eandleholders-before keeping Ihem on Ihe altar, and if your athame is lo rcsl unsheathed place a small square of cloth, like a fabric napkin, beneath if. Altar cloths are rarely colored [f die candles are. I've seen a few rituals where the candles and d o t h matched -or were complimentary colors, but most use a culored cloth with white candles or colored candles w i l h a white cloth. The Altar cloth color is considered ihe same in meaning to a candle color, so use the chart for candles for cloth colors.
Basic Herbalism
Herbalism tidbits are found In marry Books of Shadows, and many books On Wicca. but the best herbalism bonks are often non-Wiccan in nature. For more information on herbs, l o o k in the Food, Cookbook, or Alternative Medicine sections of your bookstore or library. The following is a very partial compendium of herbs, listing some uf their uses, some of the G o d s to w h o m these herbs are considered sacred and the Zodiac signs they are attributed tu. It s h o u l d be noted that Herbalism, in and oi itself, is not Wiccan. ft is an unrelated science, a study of plants and their compounds. Historically and i n our shared metaphorie history, the study of herbs was a dark and mysterious path of learning, with several discounted theories, like the Doctrine of Signatures, w h i c h taught that the |udeuChristian god marked each herb with its use {thus a heart shaped herb w o u l d help the heart, a Fire colored flower heal a born), or the belief that a herb of one Zodiac sign was used t o Ireal a disease of another. Such things are very interesting to read, the works of Culpepper and Boelune provide me great amusement o n occasion, but they aren't modern science, and are no replacement for a good modern book of herbs that describes the chemical c o m p o u n d s iri herbs and what they do. O l t c n . this purified chemical c o m p o u n d , not the herb w i t h its allergens and additional compounds, is the better treatment-
A l s o k n o w n as: Arabic. Cape G u m . Christ's C r o w n . Egyptian T h o r n . G u m Arabic Tree, Thorny Acacia. Indigenous to: Northern Africa ¡53
Kaatryn MatMftrçaıt
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Sacred h . Diana, lshlar. Osiris, R,ı. ELICJIL\J c t l tündü and Buddhist sacred fires. ID fudeo-Christian Mythology, Acacia was the w o o d o i thp A r k of The Covenant and The Sacred Tabernacle, and Thorny Acacia was the plant Irom which Christ's C r o w n of Thorns was made. C o m m o n uses: Powdered, dried acacia g u m is added to hot water lo from a throat d i a l i n g mucilage thai also prevents diarrhea. Zodiac correspondence; Mars, Scorpio.
A D D E R ' S T O N G U E {Erythnmium Anurrimnum) A l s o k n o w n as; Dog-Tooth Violet. Rattlesnake Violet. Snakeleaf, Yellow Snowdrop. Indigenous to: N o r t h America Sacred to: Hecate, Diana. L u n a , Persephone C o m m o n uses: Skin conditions Zodiac correspondence: M o o n , Cancer
A G A V E [Ag/r.v Anrerlcam) A l s o k n o w n as: American Agave. Century Indigenous lo: H o t , A r i d , N o r d i and South A m e r i c a Sacred to: Mayauel. Considered the Mexican sacred "Tree of L i l e and Abundance'' C o m m o n uses: Decoction of sap used for tonics and laxatives Zodiac correspondence: Mars, Venus
A L D H K {Ahws Gliitmosu) A l s o k n o w n as: Black Alder, European Aider, O w l e r IndigenuuS In: Europe, A s i a . N o r t l l Africa {Ainu* Rubra) A l s o k n o w n as: Red Alder, Oregon A l d e r Indigenous lo: Northern California N o r t h to Alaska {AJ'iu5 Serwlnta)
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A l s o k n o w n as: Smooth Alder, Hazel A l d u r • • I - •• . ^ to: N o v a Scotia south i o Virginia, The Great Louisiana and Florida Sacred lo; Astarte. Bran. A sacred irec of i h c Druids.
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C o m m o n uses: U s e d dried and powdered! or infusions for astringent purposes, also a sore ihroal gargle.
A L L S P I C E (pimento cifttiatndis) A l s o k n o w n as: C l o v e pepper Indigenous to: South and Central A m e r i c a , Islands of Central America Sacred to; Uranus C o m m o n uses o i : A s a spice, a warming tea ur for gas. Zodiac correspondence: Uranus A L M O N D ijirrjrrjjs nmugdaliis) A l s o k n o w n as: Greek Nuts, Maiden's tearsIndigenuus to: Mediterranean Sacred lo: Kerridwen, Jupiter, Thoth, Psyche, Demeter, M y t h : Phyllis, a Thracian princess left a l the altar was lurried into an almond Iree by the gods, her tears became the inner " n u t " of the tree. C n m m o n use: H i g h protein food, used in non-dairy " m i l k s "
A L O E (/>>£*• vera) A l s o k n o w n as: Barbados Aloe, Curacao A l o e , Indigenous In: M o s l Tropical Islands Sacred to; Hecate. Mars, Zeus C o m m o n uses of: A l l purpose gel w i t h i n leaves used as a base for other external remedies, good for burns, b u g bites, scar prevention. A natural absorbable and water-soluble lubricant as w e l l . Zodiac correspondence: Mars. Venus
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A L T I I F A {aUlrta ojfichialis) A l s o k n o w n as: Marshrnallow, Witchwet, Wymote. Indigenous In: Wetlands Sacred lo: In lire Arthurian Mythos, althea grows in fhc sacred pools o l the various mystical women w h o appear within them, it is used as a base o l "charms" a substance lo hide potions within. C o m m o n uses of: hood plant with altemale: usages much like aloe veraZodiac correspondence: M o o n
A M E K A N T H / A M h R A N T H U S (ameranikus hypocliondrlacus) A l s o k n o w n as: Lady Bleeding, Cockscomb, Prince's Feather. Indigenous tu: Central United Slates, cultivated in Europe Sacred to: Artemis, Aphrodite, Diana, Venus. C o m m o n uses of: Astringent, "broken hea rt charms." Zodiac correspondence: Saturn
A N G E L I C A ffirrge'i'aj aichaiigctlca) A l s o k n o w n as: European Angelica, Garden Angelica, Witchbane. Witch ware. Indigennus tn: Da m p are as, Europe, Asia (Angeiica Sy/irsiris) Also known .is; A n g e l w e e d , C o u t w e c d , W i l d Angelica, Indigenous tu: varies {Angelica Attopaptma) A l s o k n o w n as: American Angelica. A n g o l a n , Purple (or violet) Angelica. Furpie (or Violet) A n g e l . Indigenous to: N o r t h America Sacred to: Angels, supposedly a monk w a s given a recipe that warded olf the plague by an angel- The weed used was angelica. It was believed no Witch could stand the sight of angelica, and thus it was put in herbal brews by Cunningfolk to " p r o v e " dieir faith.
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¿11 Oiif WiccH
C u m m o n uses: High doses m,iy be harmful, arid , i l least IWO poisonous plants resemble angelica, so avoid using it unless yon are very sure ahnul what yuu have. Zodiac cones pondcncc: Sun, Leo
A N I S E [Pimpiwlia Anisium) A l s o k n o w n as: False Licurice Seed, Italian Licorice. Indigenous lo: widely Sacred to: A p o l l o , Mercury, Osiris C o m m o n USES; F l a v o r i n g cramp and nausea reliever Zodiac correspondence: M o o n , Aquarius
APPI.F (Pyrup MaSu$) A l s o k n o w n as: A p p l e , various varieties. Indigenous lo: Europe, North America Sacred to: Aphrodite. Athena. Diana. D r u i d s , DioilySuS, Eris. Hera. M y t h s : " A d a m and E v e , " "The A p p l e of Discord," "I lercules and the Golden Apples of the Hesperides," numerous Eaerie tales, i n c l u d i n g "Snow White" C o m m o n uses: Food, mild la.ative, healing and love charms
A R N I C A [Arnica Montna) A l s o k n o w n as: Mountain Tobacco, Silver Wilchweed, Silverwolf, Wolfsbane Indigenous lo: Canada, US, Europe Sacred to: Hecate C o m m o n uses: D O N O T USE unless y O u are an llerbai doctor, but p l a n l in a decora live garden for protection. Use gloves when tending itZodiac correspondence: Zodiac. C a p r i c o r n
B A L M (MWfaM Cytktmite) A l s o k n o w n as: Lemon Balm, Sweet Melissa Ind igenui - In: Varies Sacred lo; Hccalc. Juno. Pan C o m m o n uses: Food, external poltioe for irritations, mosquito repellent aromatherapy, cramps. Zodiac correspondence: Iupitet Cancer
B A F L E Y (Hurdajfl Vulgate) Indigenous lo: Europe. North Alrica Sacred to: O d i n . Demeler and " g r a i n " gods. G u m m o n uses: l i i o d . anli-itch. Zodiac correspondence: Saturn. Leo
B E L L A D O N N A {Atwpa Bdfahnna) A l s o k n o w n as: Deadly Nightshade. Dwale. Poison Black Cherry. Indigenous to: U S . Europe Sacred le: Bellona. Hecate. I Iypnos. Morpheus, Somnus C o m m o n uses: Do Mot Use... Poisonous i n small quantities. Zodiac correspondence: Satum, Capricomi
C A L E N D U L A {Catenduk Officinalis) A l s o k n o w n as: Garden M a r i g o l d Indigenous tn: Europe Sacred to; Persephone and other " m a i d e n " goddesses C o m m o n uses: C r a m p , gas and nausea reiiel Zodiac correspondence: Sun, LeO
C A M O M I L E or C H A M O M I L E [Antkemi? rVoWTis) A l s o k n o w n as: Roman Chamomile, Garden Chamomile-
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Indigenous tu: Europe {Matricaria Qiamomilia) A l s o k n o w n as: C a r m a n Chamomile, W i l d Chamomiie, Witch-daisy. Indigenous toe Europe S a t r e d to: A p o l l o , Ares, H e r a , Zeus C o m m o n uses of: C a l m i n g . Muscle relaxant, appetite stimulator. Zodiac correspondence: S u n , Leo C A T N I P [Nepeta Cataria or Nepeto Ncpeta) A l s o k n o w n as: Bast's Tea, Catmint. Catswort, Field BalmIndigcnous to: A l l over Sacred to: Bast, Freya C u m m o n uses uf: Similar to Chamomile, also guod for upper respiratory and sinus infections. Zodiac correspondence: Venus
C A T M I N T (Nepeta M u s s e l i ) A l s o k n o w n as: Purple o r flowering C a t n i p , Indigenous tu: D r y areas where catnip is gn>wn. Sacred to: Bast, Ereya C n m m o n uses nf: This ground-climbing sister of Catnip, w i t h its p u r ple flowers, can he used like catnip, hut is not quite as good. Zodiac correspondence: Venus
C L U B M O S S ' i.ycnpodium ClavatunO A l s o k n o w n as: Foxtail, Staghorn. Wolfclaw. Indigenous to: Varies C u m m u n uses: Powdered dried clubmoss is used on wet rashes and nosebleeds. Use commercial preparations, as it can be poisonous Zodiac correspondence: M o o n
Ki\aityi MuıMttrgıin
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C U R R A N T (Kibes Nigrum) A l s o k n o w n as: Black Currant Indigenous In: Marshes C o m m o n use: Diuretic {Rlbts- Uttbrwn) A l s o k n o w n aS: Red Currant, Whieberry. Indigenous (o: Europe Sacred ID: A l l w i n e and Irui: gods. C o m m o n uses: Wine flavoring, upset stomadh. juice has. cooling properties Zodiac correspondence: Jupiler
D A N D E L I O N (Taraxacum Officinale) A l s o k n o w n as: Blowball, Lion's Tooth, W i l d Endive Indigenous tn: EVF.RYWI IFRF Sacred to; Erls, Hecate, Persephone C o m m o n uses: Petals, leaves and root edible, a natural diuretic and stimulant, tiic ground roasted root of w h i c h m a l e s a good "coffee" w i t h a caffeine free " k i c k " Zodiac correspondence: Sun, Leo
E L D E R (Sawbuaa amdetais) A l s o k n o w n as: American Elder, Black Eider. Sweet Elder Indigenous l u : N o r t h America W A R N I N G : Poisonous when raw!!!! {Sambucus Nigra) A l s o k n o w n as: Black Elder. F l l h n m Indigenous to: Europe W A R N I N G : Extremely purgadve w h e n raw, nausea and vomiting may occur, {SambuCltS m O F A V K d ) A l s o k n o w n as- Red Elder Indigenous to: Europe. Canada. W A R N I N G : The seeds w i t h i n the berries are poisonous. (SPnarvcMO ebuius)
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A l s o k n o w n a-,: Dwarf Elder. W i l d Elder Indigenous lo: US, Europe W A R N I N G : I'he berries are poisonous Sacred io: Dionysus, Venus. C o m m o n uses; Varies, use commercial preparations. 7ndi.li- correspondence: Venus
E L E C A M P A N E [inula hdenium) A l s o k n o w n asrelfdock. e l f w o r l , horseheal. scabwort. Indigenous In: U S Sacred lo; Helena C o m m o n uses: Cramps, iiches. bugbites. Zodiac correspondence: Mercury, Uranus
E U R O P E A N C E N T A U R Y (tflrfounafl lanMfnlum or Ltythrava CenitntrSuni) A l s o k n o w n as: Bitter Herb. Centaur H e r b , Centaury. Indigenuus lU: Europe Sacred to: Centaurs, E p o n a , P a n . C o m m o n uses: LHeling. blemishes. Zodiac correspondence; Sun
E U R O P E A N V E R V A I N (Verbena Officinalis) Also known as: Enchanter's Plant. I uno's Tears, Vervain, White Verbena. W h i l e Vervain. Indigennus In: Viediterranean Sacred l o : Bast, C c r r i d w e n , Demeter, Diana. Hermes. Isis. Juno, Jupiter. Mars, Mercury, Persephone, Thor, and Venus C o m m u n U S E S of: Improves kidney and bladder fuiicdoil. Said to be an "aphrodisiac" Zodiac correspondence: Gemini. Taurus, Venus
F E N N E L (FomicUiUm VUlgare) A l s o k n o w n as: Sweet lennel Indigenous tn: Mediterranean, Asia Sacred to; A d o n i s C o m m o n uses: Stomach problems, expectorant. Zodiac correspondence: Mercury, Virgo
F E N U G R E E K iTrigrneila fanum-gracx-iimi Sacred to: Aphrodite. Apollo. Pan, Venus C o m m o n uses; Believed to bo an a p h r o d i s i a e A natural " p i c k u p " plant, good for the " i c k y " feeling o i the last day o l a cold. Zodiac correspondence: Mercury
F O X G L O V E {Digitalis Purpurea] A l s o k n o w n as: DigitalLs Indigenous In: U S . Europe Sacred to: Aphrodite. Persephone. Pluto. Venus C o m m o n U S E S : The heart medicine Digitalis is made f m m Foxglove. If anyone ever tells y o u herbal remedies are a load of bull, remind them of good o i ' Foxglove, However, it causes Contact FJermatitis, among other tilings, so don't go harvesting. II you have a heart condition, take a prescription remedy, not a homemade one. Zodiac correspondence: Pluto. Venus
F R A G R A N T V A L E R I A N {Valeriana Officinaiia) A l s o k n o w n as: All-Heal,Heiiotrope ValerianIndigenous tu: Europe, East Coast U S Sacred to: A p o l l o , Cernunnos, Ra, Zeus.
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¿11 Our w i c i a
C u m m o n uses: Migraine, In&QClfiii Warning: arterided UW or large doses may cause symptoms ol poisoning, I k n o w of a person w h o losl a kitten to Valerian Poisoning, so if y n u plnnt it tie c a r e f u l " " Zodiac correspondence: Mercury
G I N G E R (Zn^fivr rytinW A l s o k n o w n as: African d i n g e r Indigenous lo: Tropica] parts o l A s i a , cultivated elsewhere Sacred to: d i n g e r is a sacred plant in it's o w n rightC o m m o n USES: d i n g e r eliminates- motionsiekness A N D M o r n i n g sickness- Try a pinch of gingerool powder o n the back on the tongue, ginger beer or "1 lot" ginger ale, or candied (clyslallized) ginger. Ginger also helps clear sinuses and relieves migraine, but some people iind high doses make them feel shaky. Zodiac correspondence: M o o n
G I N S E N G [Panax sctsin-seng) A l s o k n o w n as: Chinese Ginseng Indigenous lo: Asia {Panax numqupfcliiit.) A l s o k n o w n as: American Ginseng. Five-Lcaled Ginseng Indigenous lo: N o r t h America Sacred to: Ginseng is said to be sacred of it's o w n right C o m m o n uses: This is the "Wonder P l a n t " it seems to work for everything, especially as a "pick o p . " It seems In cause headaches in some people, however. Zodiac correspondence: Scorpio, Uranus
I IF ATI IEP (Cattuna Vid^tiasf A l s o k n o w n as: Ling Indigenous tn: Europe
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Sacred to: Erin. Isis, Persephone, Vimus C o m m o n uses: Aromatherapy. Diuretic, stomach Troubles Zodiac correspondence: Venus
H O R L H O U N D {Mitrmbium Vulgar) A l s o k n o w n as- M a r r u b i u m Indigenous l u : Varies Sacred To: Horus C o m m o n uses: C o m m o n C o l d , especially w h e n candied. Zodiac correspondence: Mercury
H Q U S E L E E K (Sempetvivuiu Tecictiumi A l s o k n o w n as: Aaron's- Rod, 1 lens and C h i c k s , Jupiter's Beard. Indigenous lo: Europe Sacred to: Jupiter, Thor C o m m o n i i S E S ; Leaves used much Zodiac correspondence: Jupiler
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J A S M I N E ijaaajanum Officinale) Indigenous lo: Warm parls. of Easlcrn Hemisphere Sacred to: Diana and other lunar/night goddesses. C o m m o n U S E S : A m m atherapy, used for Migraine and an "aphrodisiac" Zodiac correspondence: Cancer, Jupiter, M o o n
L A D Y ' S M A N T L E {Akhcmiliui Vulgnnm) SacrEd to: Earth Goddesses, and the Virgin Mary. Angels. C o m m o n uses: Reducing bleeding, appetite stimulator. Zodiac Correspondence: Venus
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L A U R E L {Lauras NobBlS) A l s o k n o w n as; Bay Laurel . id i ' •' - In: Mediterranean Sacred lo; A d o n i s , A p o l l o , A r l c m i s , Caca, Helios, Mars, Zeus. C n m m o n uses: Spice Zudiac correspondence: Sun, Leo
M A N D R A K E {Mandragora Officinarum} Indigenous In: Europe Sacred lo: Aphrodite, Diana, Hecate, N l m u e , Salurn C o m m o n uses: Poisonous Zodiac currespondence: Mercury
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(FilipenduSa irlmaria)
A l s o k n o w n as: Meadowqueen Indigenous lU: Europe Sacred to: Demeter C u m m o n uses: A natural aspirin. Zodiac correspondence: G e m i n i , Mercury, Venus
M E X I C A N D A M I A N A (Turnen Aphmdiaai) Indigenous In: Southern N o r t h America. Sacred to: Venus C n m m o n uses: Stimulant Zodiac correspondence: Piulo
M I L K W E E D {Asdepias Syriacce) A l s o k n o w n as: Silk weed Indigenous lo; N o r t h America Sacred to: Tuno
Kaatryn Mai M figo ir
C u m m o n uses: kidney Stones Zodiac correspondenee: Jupiter
M U C v V O R T M n W s ú Vulgaris) A l s o k n o w n ab: Sailor's Tobacco Indigenous lo: Everywhere Sacred ID: Artemis, Diana. C o m m o n uses: Antl-llch. Large doses cause sickness. Zudiac correspondence: M o o n . ^e-UUS
K U T M E G (jVfí^rjsrjí Ef^níuce) Indigenous lo: Indonesia Sacred lo: Jupiter, Uranus C o m m o n uses: Anti-gas. a hallucinogen w h i c h can kill in a dose small as two nutmegs. Zodiac currespondence: Jupiter
ORRIS K O O T (¡ris F formtin*) A l s o k n o w n as: Florentine Iris Indigenous To: Mediterranean Sacred to: Aphrodite. Hera. Iris, Isis. Osiris C u m m o n uses: Diuretic, common Cold Zodiac correspondence: M o o n
P E P P E R M I N T (Menifa Pipila) A l s o k n o w n as: Lambmlrir Indigenous lo: U S . Europe Sacred lo: Zeus C o m m o n uses: Nausea, gas. Zodiac correspondence: Venus
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l * O M E G R A K A T E (Púnica Grn/i/rtum } Indigenous lo: A s » Sacred io: 1 fades. H e r a , Persephone. PlnEo C o m m o n uses : K i n d : Gargle Seeds; Diarrhea, aids digestion / o d i a r Correspondence: Mercury, Uranus., Venus
R H U B A R B (Rheum Patmalum ) Indigenous lo; A s i a , b u l imported plants in The North Eastern US have Long since gone w i l d Sacred lo; H c c a l c C o m m o n uses: Food, high Vitamin C . leaves are poisonous Zodiac correspondence: M a r s . Scorpio
R O W A N (Sorbus Acoparía) A l s o k n o w n as: Sorb Apple Indigenuns tU: Europe Sacred to: M o o n C u m m o n uses: various Zodiac correspondence; M o o n
R U E (Rula Graveolens) A l s o k n o w n as: Herb o l Grace Indigenous to: Europe. Africa Sacred lo: Mars C o m m o n uses: Rue causes contact dermatitis and may cause poisoning. Zodiac correspondence: Sun. Leo
T A R R A G O N (Artemisa D r m r u p r c n u e ) A l s o k n o w n as- Estragón Indigenous In: Varied
Kaatryn MatMftigan
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Saired to: Artemifl C o m m o n uses: Seasoning, appetite Stimulation, Dragon hurtling. Zodiac correspondence: Mars, Scorpio
W O O D R U F F [Atperula Ororoio) A l s o k n o w n as: Master of The Woods, Sweet Woodruff Indigenous l u : A l l over Sacred to: hi igh C o u r t Sidhe, Venus, H o r n e d G o d C o m m o n uses: Use small doses only for M i g r a i n e Zodiac correspondence: Mars. Venus.
W O R M W O O D [Ariemisa Absinthium} A l s o k n o w n as: Absinthe Indigenous to: Europe Sacred to: Artemis, Diana C o m m o n uses: Use commercial preparations to avoid poisoning Zodiac correspondence; Mars, Scorpio, Pinto. Recommended reading: T H E HERR ROOK. John L u s t Paperback: Bantam Books, 1974.
Benedict Lust Publications,]974
Wicca Craft, Tire Modern Witch's Duck af Herbs Magick and Dreams, Gerina D u n w i c h , Citadel Press/Carol Publishing edition, 1994 r
5haker Herbs; A History und Compendium. A m y Bess Miller. Clarkson Potter, 1^76
Candles
The tieneiil o l making your o w n candles la that y o u k n o w die wax Is pun? and what types of wax you put into the candle. M y favorite candles for ritual are beeswax, with a heavy coat of dyed vegetable wax to give them color- A w a r m candle rolled in rubbed sage makes a wonderful scent when burned, and essential o i l s are better than "scented candle oils" for fragrance. With beeswax the natural smell is so w o n derful that 'fils are unnecessary. A l t h o u g h variances in shape occur, the "normal use" candle is a standard pillar or taper, in white or the cardinal colors for the com pans points, and varying colors of altar candles for various holidays, weekdays. Magick types and purposes- The f o l l o w i n g color chart, w h i c h details candle culuis and their meaning*, Is also good for A l t a r cloths and robes: black: Samhain, Yule, Astral Magicks, "space" Magicks, Night Magieta, Ceremonial Magicks, Saturday, Earth, Grounding, Protection, Wisdom, Dispelling. Totality, especially physical totality, ttie Scribe's color. Blue, Cobalt: Samhain. Yule. Astral Magicks. Lunar Magicks, "space" Magicks, Night Magicks. Ceremonial M a g i c k , Monday, Thursday, Protection, W i s d o m , clear Thought, L o g i c Emotional Control, a good " p o w e r " color. Blue, Primary: Summer. Lugbnasa. Samhain. Yule, Imbolc. A s t r a l M a g i c k s , Thursday. Water. Clear thought, A good color lor "generic" rituals. 171
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Blue, S k y : Spring, Beltane, Solar rituals. Imbolc. Astral Magicks. Water. A i r , Clear thought. Used by people with avian spirit guide/ Totems/ favorite animals, esp. Seagull, Fagle, H a w k , Kingfisher. The "bardic" color. B r o w n : Luglinasa. A u t u m n . Sambain. D r u i d i c Magicks, Earth, m o lional Control, Craftsmanship. The Artisan's color. Copper: A u t u m n , Yule, Money s u m m o n i n g rituals. Solar rituals, D r u i d i c Magicks, Sunday, fire. Protection. Leadership, Love, Passion, Luck. G r a y : Yule. Imbolc. Astral Magicks, L u n a r Magicks. Druidic Magicks. hire, a good balance color, used by Druids and W o l l and Lynx people Green, Deep thuntert Lughnasa, A u t u m n , Yule, Imbolc Night Magicks, Druidic Magick, Earth, C a l m i n g , G r o u n d i n g , Strength, Protection, Logic. Emotional Control, The G o d in his element, a "male" color. G r e e n , Light: Spring, Beltane, Summer, Imbolc, D r u i d i c Magick, Earth, Prosperity, Money, Strength, W i s d o m , Emotional Control, L u c k , the "Faerie color," (courtesy of Americanized Irish "little people.") G o l d : Summer, A u t u m n . Yule, Money s u m m o n i n g . Solar rituals. Fire, Lust. Passion, Priests. Indigo: Samhain. Yule, Astral Magicks, N i g h t Magicks, Ceremonial Magicks, Wednesday, W i s d o m . Logic, L o v e . Passion, Music, a secondary Bardic Color. Lavender: Spring, Beltane, Summer, lniboLc, C a l m i n g , Love, fiealing.
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Orange Spring. Beltane. Sum In er, Lughnasa. A u l u m n , Samhain, Solar Rituals, Sunday, Fire, Passion. P i n k : Spring. Beltane, Friday, C a l m i n g . Love, Luck. Healing, Peach: Spring, Bella ne. Luglinasa. Prid.iv. C a l m i n g . Love. H a d : Beltane, Summer. Lughnasa, Samhain. Yule, Ceremnnial Magick. Tuesday. Pire, Strength. Protection, Leadership, Lust, Passion, Healing esp. Blood, Physical Strength, Questing, C o l o r oE the Seeker. Rush Lughnasa. A u t u m n , Samhain, Passion. Universal "Oneness."
D r u i d i c Magick, Fire. Earth,
Silver: Yule. Aslral Magicks, Lunar Magicks, "spare" Magicks. Monday, A i r . Protection, Clear thought. Logic, Passion, Priestesses Turquoise: Spring. Beltane, Summer. A s t r a l Magicks. Lunar Magicks. Water. Protection, Clear thought. Logic, Luck, Healing esp. Eyes. Violet: Samhain, Yule, Astral Magicks, N i g h t Magicks, Ceremonial Magicks, Thursday. Saturday, W i s d o m , Clear thought. Leadership, Logic. Passion, emotional control. H e a l i n g esp. Mental. The prime " P o w e r " Color used by priests. W h i l e : Positive workings of all sorts. Ycllow-OrangclSaffronk Spring, Beltane, Summer. Luglinasa, A u t u m n , Yule, Solar Rituals, Astral Magicks. Druidic Magick, Ceremonial Magick. Sunday. Pire. W i s d o m . Logic. Passion, Emotional Control, Luck. Sanity. A traditional Mage-Priest and celebration Color. Y e l l o w : Spring, Bellane. Summer, inıbolc. Solar Rituals, Astral Magicks, Sunday, Fire, Clear thought, Paanon, Healing, esp. Mental.
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In some D r a w i n g D o w n ceremonies, tin.'olar " M o o n " and " S u n " candles are used, and one is used in the Ritual given in Book Three. In some rituals special rri»wns n l candles arc used, h u l hilly half o l m y obsession w i t l i siifc.lv is. because o l a lire lhal started w h e n hot wax from such a thing dripped o n a skyclad w o m a n , w h o knocked over a candle, which net the altar un fire, which w o u l d ' v e done more if it wasn't lor our unique altar look a small lire extinguisher. N o w . these were talented, safety conscious individuals w h o ' d done that ritual before, so 1 can only imagine the chaos, in a less structured setting, i i y o u are going l o u s e candles, or any heal source, a l least have a bucket of water nearbyl
Corn Dollies
C o m Dollies are Images of beings, usually female, found preserved all over the world- Though the traditional E n g l i s h Wiccan c o m dolly, probably based on ancient Ceme "Whcntings" w o u l d be made of wheat, barley and rye, İn Ihe Americas, C o m Dollies are made of Zc
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husks o l sweet corn w i i h faces Cut irı>n-ı "lady apples" small, green apples thai grow o n w i l d apple trees a n d immature domesticated e trees. A l l of these were acceptable lo [he GodsA C o m dolly represents ihe goddess as ihe harvest A t Lughnasa the c o m dolly is placed at ihe altar to give thanks for the harvest. In my family practice, this t o r n doily is then burned .it Yule arid the.islies saved and placed in the garden at spring l o " r e m i n d " the plants of the previous harvest. Some traditions bury heir in the spring, or born her at Samhain, based o n their personal beliefs in the representation of the Goddess. The C o r n Dolly isalsncalled the " C o m Mother," and m a y b e given, or hung on .1 door, to ÎILSLI re prosperity. A few i'agan books give ideas for crafting the c o m dolly, a Southwestern trad I k n o w uses C o m .Is their exclusive m e d i u m , but their dolls are intricate works o l dried beaded c o m probably dating back to indigenous peoples of their area. W i t h a small bead drill, or a sharp pick which can be twisted, dried c o m can be beaded just like most seeds. This is ridiculously complex if your Com dollies are a one lime tiling that are thrown on a Samhain or Yule lire, so w e make simple "shaker dollies." there are two approaches to making them, cornhusks, dyed and folded and ready for doll making are available at craft stores, and if y o u want a doll to look great, they're probably what y o u want. Most of us, especially from the Dairy country of Upstate N e w York, where feed c o m dots every highway, prefer the " r V a h i r a l " look. D r y the CO rn husks on a piece oi paper In ihe sun and let them bleach for about four days. Right helore y o u use them, wet Ihem in a pot of w a r m water with a dash of vinegar in i l . diis makes them pliable. Bend and fold them into the rough shape of a w o m a n and tie them w i t h twine or small strips of comhusk. A variation on this, called " C o r n N i k i ' s " by our coven for iheir resemblance l o a member, is Ihe long haired corn goddess, which is usually made with green husks from ihe first harvest.
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C o r n K i k i : T.ıkı- the still green silk from an t a r of c u m and crumple the b r o w n d r y end into a ball. Use an inner (thin) husk, fold it In hall, and create a narntw cylinder, w i t h the fold along Ihe top. Stuff the dry b r o w n end into the cylinder, then use a small band of husk To cover ihe top, allowing a few wisps of silk to stick out of the front This is a "headband" and keeps the brown from s h o w i n g . Tie the headband hi the cylinder w i t h another band of husk. Y o u should n o w have a head. A s Ihe hair dries, this will crinkle, but crinkle the "bangs" while they're still w e l . Take an outer husk, and slit halfway to the middle w i t h the grain twice so that you have a thin band Ihatgoes to the m i d dle, and two thicker outer pieces, bold the m i d d l e piece d o w n , and set it aside- Take yet another small inner husk and wrap it around a pen cil, this piece Should be one half the length of the piece y o u just Cut. Tie the ends of this piece with wire, string or a tiny piece o l husk, remov ing the pencil before fying the second side . Pick up the piece y n u set aside and l i f l up die folded d o w n segment on that piece. Place the rolled and tied piece under the folded segment so that you have a cross-like structure, then place the head piece so that the fold is at the back if the neck. Fold the two pieces d o w n in front, then take another small piece o l husk and create an " a p r o n " by folding i l in half. U s i n g a piece of twine or husk under the fold of the apron, tie the whole thing together in the center, so that y n u have a waist- L e i dry in the sun, rely ing and adding small pieces of busk if needed. 1
A l l o w natural d r y i n g to alter the shape, but make several, because a few w i l l lose shape completely w h e n dried. If desired, paint w i t h nat ural dyes, or d r y in a dark d r y place lor more color.
Crystals and Minerals
The following Is a (very) partial listing of-some commonly used crystals- Relying too heavily on Crystal lomamcy smacks a Little of the " N u n A g e " Eor mo. but it is becoming more and more common in Wicca. The following lisi details the color ejf these crystals and slones, the element that the b'lone is Supposed tO represent, the lore that the tone has gathered and the "correspondences" of the stone, the type of C o d s and forces it relates Id. 1
A m b e r (Gods' Tears) Color: A m b e r Element: Earth Lore: Protection. It supposedly "traps" e v i l fortes w i t h i n it. Correspondences: Protective, Druidic
Amethysl Color: Violet Element: Water Lore: Supposed to pn'tect From the " s p i r i t s " of Wine, a good piece "sings" (vibrates) when struck, w i t h a t u n i n g fork. Correspondences: W i n e / d u o d
C a m e l (Earth's Bluud) Color: Red/Violel E l e m e n t Earth |N|
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L o r B Blood related ailments, iron defititncy, good grounding and women's sione. Correspondences: mother/birth
Hem * t ite I m i n o r rock) Color: Reflective silver Elements: A i r . M o o n Lore: Protection, it reflects negative energy sway. Sacred Morrigan. called "Raven's eye." Correspondences: A n y M o o n .
to the
Malachite Color; Green Banded, some are blue. Element Earth L o r e Tlie Money Stone, also lock, and a good stone lor gardening. Protective, Often mislabeled as "green tiger's eye." Correspondences: Luck, commerce
Quartz, Clear Color: Clear, like glass Element: A i r Lore: The prime Scrying crystal, also for logic and an unclouded m i n d . Correspondence: Magick Quart*, Rose Color: Clear w/Ptnk or cloudy pink Element; A i r Lore: A n imagination releaser, good for kids. Correspondanee: Love, dreams
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Quartz, Blue Color: I'ale blue or clear w i t h blue Elements: Air, Water Lore: A good concentration stone, but expensive, substitute: Blue lace agate, Turquoise, AquamarineCorrespondences: Lunar, thunder and rain.
Quartz, smoke or S m o k y Topaz Color: Clear/yellow with gray /brown gray elements: A i r . Fire Lore: A good protective and astral stone, i l is said to work o n ali parts o l the self. It either works for y o u or it doesn't, very "temperamental" stone, good for variable people, g o o d slone lor someone working through M P D or similar "difference o l order." Correspondences: Astral, Smoke, Air, Fire. Thunder.
Quartz, Violet see Amethyst
5 now Hake O b s i d i a n Color: Black w / white, gray Element: Fire Lore: B u r n ease, lire prevention, loss a piece i n BBQ pit to whiten coals, used to avoid snow problems. Correspondences: u n k n o w n
Tiger's L y e . Blue Color: Multi-blue, reflective. Elements: Water. A i r
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Lore: G o o d hır airline leaf* And boats, w i n d calling, also called "Siberian Tiger's eye," "Hawk's/Falcon's eye." Correspondences: Astral travel, flight
Tiger's Eye, Bruivn Color: M u l t i - b r o w n , reflective. Elements: Fire, Earth Lore: L i k e Hemallle, II "reflects" danger away, only this, is said to shat ter it into multiple reflections that direct toward the one causing itCorrespondences: Said to be sacred to "cat" G o d s , like Bast.
Tiger's Lye, K e d Color: Multired, reflective E k m e n i : Eire Lore: Physical protection, swordsmithing, P h o e n i ' . Brigid and physi cal prowess. Correspondences: Fire/Combat
Turquoise Color: A z u r e Elements: Air, Water Lore: Protection, verbal prowess, the bard's shine. General protection. A good stone To "tune i n " to for beginners. Correspondences: Music, Poetry
Divination and the Last of Ihe True Scientists.
Divination is the art of discovering thai w h i c h is hidden. This doesn't mean thai ail diviners are fortune tellers, or thai, by divining, y o u plan to discover things y o u d i d n ' t have the right to knnw. We. believe thai itiformalion is power, and that, if the Gods, forbade This information to us, we w o u l d n o l be able lo discover i t W h e n w e divine, i l is either w i t h i n a ritual content, or meditated o n for quite a while. W h e n the ethics are in dispute, most w i l l opt to not risk it, but the Gods gave us right and wrong, and one of our tools is the ability hi discern them. Sometimes, divination is obviously w r o n g , especially w h e n used unnecessarily, let your conscious be your guide. Tliere are two main forms of divination used by Wiccans, excluding Tarot. Numerology, Astrology and Rune-Casting, which require less extraordinary ability and tell their seCretsi more through randomization and synchronicity than pure (albeit inlluencedj conjecture. Pattern Work (not |o he confused with r*ath-working) shows what results a theoretical action will have, and is usually used by psychics. A t its least, Paltem Work is the application of logical Iheorizing lo Ihe present, and can be detailed in a series o f - a n d , " " o r " and "if-then" statements applied w i t h the recognition of patterns or synchronicity. For a particularly base example, a friend (and switchboard operator) had noticed an unusual number of extra "T's." " W V and " O S " " appearing o n her w o r d processor- Emboldened, she played the n u m ber "o9n" which was both part of Iter phone number (and the numbers
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fur T W O ) and the month/year uf her second anniversary. The number d r a w n was "222." Astral and dream PREIern Work is the act performing pattern work while asleep or projecting. to allow ihe greater consciousness to (111 in where we cannot- Some psychics see paltems as colors and designs, which change as decisions are made, others see the actual events alter. "Tuning i n " to the patterns requires a strong attention to detail, and the realization that the slightest action can alter the Patterns com pletely It's very easy to gel caughl up w i t h i n the patterns and "lose" yourself, so w i t h Pattern Work, as in all things, moderation. The more common lorm o l Divination i s scrying, which is the "clas sical" divination, including the cliche-ridden Crystal or Mirror gating. The Magickal Mirror existed long belore S n o w White's beautiful but misguided stepmother gazed into one aind wasn't pleased by her looks, and the Crystal Rail was too expensive an item for many of the charlatans usually associated w i d i It. h a v i n g long been delegated to the realm of the "professional" metaphysicist, usually no more than the t o w n leech. Tradition decrees that the Crystal ball be clear, preferably quartz, and lit only by candle or moonlight, but it seems that people respond differently to diifeienl Crystals. A friend has a sphere of blue lace agate that she divines i n , another uses the face of a crystal prism w h i c h is liung in his w i n d o w to gather the power of the sun. A l t h o u g h the traditional crystal ball of the motion picture industry is kept i n an ornate stand, often metal, the crystal ball i*i the scyrer rests on black cloth, usually velvet, which is occasionally draped over a stand to pievent scratching and give an ideal " b l a n k " background. I've been told that using different color cloths inlluences the outcome, and are espe cially powerful for discerning information geared toward certain peo ple or things associated with tliat color. Scrying mirrors are also decreed by tradition l o a few distinct forms, but the personalization of your mirror is what makes it work, not get ting all of the 'lheban script in die proper alignment! A l t h o u g h usually
black, often concave and rarely seen i n daylight, the scrying mirror is personal, and It's the person w h o needs i o feel comfortable. II you've been fining Wicca or Metaphysics (or a while, you're prababiy most comfortable in a circle. After it's, cast, try doing the air visu¬ alization lo "free your m i n d - " Then, gaze deeply into the mirror or ball. Blink, shift, scratch, eimgh. and move normally, don't stare like a television mediumi I f y o u do stare, all that y o u ' l l see is spots, mist, and all the other creatures of eyestrain, and tiust me, eyestrain sucks. If y o u can't blank your m i n d , repeat a nonsense w o r d in your head. This Bounds bizarre, but I've been known to meditate on the phrase "blah, blab, blab." while scrying. It occupies m y outer m i n d , like the music 1 play to write, or having the TV on while 1 study, while my inner m i n d Can concentrate un the activity a l hand. It has been m y experience that as y o u awaken your brain, you need more stimuli, and 1 envy anyone w h o can sit in the darkness and focus their entire m i n d onto one thing. I w i s h i could! Probably not the first time, but eventually as you scry [limit yourself to one lialf hour at a time at first) y o u ' l l begin to see misty forms i n the surface, whether these are no more than cloud-like shapes waiting for interpretation or pictures that s l o w l y lorm changes from person to person, but y o u w i l l see something w i t h persistence. I f y o u can't get a mirror or ball, try a cup, b o w l or plate of water. Black plates and bowls arc often available at housewares shops for under two dollars, and make great containers for scrying waler. M y favorite scrying mirrur was a piece of w i n d o w p a n e in a frame, the back of w h i c h was spray painted copper. Initially, this mirror was meant to go onto the altar under a large copper censer, to keep ash from hitting die altar cloth and to reflect Its little light toward the cop¬ per ceiling of the temple (rescued from a n o l d theater before it was demolished.) I was cleaning the mirror one lasl time, filling the frame w i t h a salt-water solution, and rinsing it i n rainwater (it was raining, w h i c h made this quite easy.) I've always been very in-tune w i t h storms, and as 1 was gazing into this mirror absentniindedly [the best way to gaze.) T caught a flash of reddish lightning in it, that lasted at
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kafit two seconds. The only problem was lh.it, while it was raining, it wasn't storming, i contemplated the sky for a few minutes after this, trying |n figure nut where the lightning flash had come from. 1 set d o w n the mirror, and wont to sit d o w n o n the porch w h e n a very red flash of lightning crashed overhead, striking a tree Less than 100 meters away and leaving me with spots: in my eyes and a migraine that lasted a few hours. There is no doubt in m y m i n d that I was warned not to look up at this lightning flash by this little mirrur. w h i c h was nicknamed "The Liltle Mirror that C o u l d . " t o r about three months I used this mirror to try to find out everything T could, to no avail. Sure enough though, this mirror glowed every time there was a storm coming, and w h e n a fellow student in a storm prone area noticed the glow while visiting, 1 gave it to h i m . The story of this mirror's suicide is especially fascinating. This same student was on the phone with me when The I .ittle M i r r o r that C o u l d leapt off the wall and shattered into about fifty pieces. W h i l e we wen? talking, trying to figure out what happened, he looked o u l his w i n d o w and saint that it looked very ominous. Another minute later his emergency weather radio went off, there was a tornado i n his area- A s he went into the basement, as local sirens squealed and be slaved o n the line with me, courtesy o i cellular miracles, but was blacked out after a while. A n hour later he called back. The twister had passed not two hundred yards from his house, following the road. Most of his w i n dows on one side were broken, and he had a cut from a jar of pickles bursting in the basement, but the house, cats, chickens and dogs were fine. We were both positive the mirror had warned h i m of this, so we w e n l to make another one, going together to a friends house, about 111 miles away from his. ihree days later. W h e n we asked for another pane of glass [he'd given me the first one out of a box. he had) he said he had none, because three days earlier the entire contents of the box. were destroyed w h e n a nearby tornado knocked over his tool shed- With a little calculation, we figured the panes bad been destroyed at the same lime his m i n o r had fallen.
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The ways that power effects objects an? not yet fully understood hi us, b u l neither were magnetism or gravity at one time. A s humanity grows and learns, a hit of what we have * k n o w n all along" will become common knowledge outside of our commtjnity. Scrying is just that, an untapped, u n k n o w n power which w e do without understanding, Lile Is. not ,1 cartoon, just because you don't k n o w abimt gravity doesn't mean that you're capable of ignoring it. We don't need a "reason" w h y things fall, because they do, whether we warn! them to or not. and scry ing is the same way, it works, but w e jusl don't know why. Metaphysics and the U F O controversy share the dubious distinc tion of being the only things tliat science expects complete proof of before and without experimentation. It j u s l goes against scientific the ory to expect proof to materialize without w o r k . D N A was a theory, germs were a theory, the atom was a theory, and without experimenta tion, these theories w o u l d ' v e remained " u n t r u e " |o the public- W F are the only scientists that Metaphysics lias, because the age of unique sci entific discovery has passed. M u c h of science doesn't want to discover new things, just new aspects of o l d diings. We need l o keep documen tation of what w e d o , so that w e can discover all the " n e w " things out there, and prove them. 1 suggest a separate journal for experimentation w i t h Metaphysics, and this includes ail Magickai workings outside of ritual, not just scry ing. Use a separate page (or each experiment: describe in detail the tools, steps taken, feelings, and results. Note Ihe date, time, phase of the moon, everything y o u can. V O L are the last of the True Scientists. 1
Five Common Ways of raising power
I k n o w that many riluals call tor power Lo be raised without saying how. This isn't an oversight on anyone's part. Raising power is BO personal thai the idea of " t e l l i n g " a person or a group o l people how l o d o it seems preposterous. I've noticed a trend toward five types of power raising in parliLul.tr. especially in larger circles. These are by no means the only or the " r i g h t " ways lo raise power. The hive I've chosen are expandable, and can be used together in any number of combinations. H a v e fun! 1: D r u m m i n g : D r u m m i n g is fairly self-explanatory. Most people use a "heart" beat that they increase i n speed a n d complexity as they raise the power. I've fell my o w n heart increase with the drum, it can be very powerful. I feel it necessary lo say that not everybody drums well, and that If J not fas at least one drummer 1 k n o w says,) something yini are b o m with. It lakes practice for many of us l o become that rhythmic, and the idea that E V E R Y O N E needs l o b e banging on something for d r u m m i n g to work is Insane. I've seen many circles use only one drummer lo raise power, and for m a n y of us, just being there is enough- Increasing speed and complexity are a common part of power raising, as more power is raised, and the air begins to tingle w i t h anticipation, one w o u l d have to work harder to not speed u p , and they'd diminish their usefulness, so relax and let it go. When die power has reached it peak, the drummers stop, often voicing a monosyllable that pushes the power. " K a . M a . H a , H o . and A y " all have special meanings in different Trads, but research or spontaneity are equally as acceptable.
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2: Dancing Like d r u m m i n g , dancing is something m i l everyone Can do. Power w i s i n g dances, however, tend i o be very simplistic, like holding hands and twirling around the circle, it's easy to raise power this way, i l occasionally dizzying. C o m b i n e d w i t h d r u m m i n g or chanting, dancing can be a simple way to get everyone involved and is .1 fairly quick method of power raising. A s with d r u m m i n g , die beat way to let the power out lhal you raise Irom dancing is to stop suddenly, often by ending an accompany inp^ beat, and shouting out a monosyllable, pielerablv while collapsing. 3:Chanting There are three schools of chanting in Wicca.one says lhat chants nuest be ancient words and phrases, almost inevitably in another language. These are often hard to say and even harder to remember. The second school alluws translated chants, but they usually are overly complex small prayers, w h i c h are often hard to memorize. The final school, the method of chanting that I have found most powerful, is the simplest. You may've noticed 1 always prefer the simplest, and before 1 describe fully this school of cllailting. I'd like hi explain why. in Ritual, f follow the Rule of KISS [Keep II Simple, Stupid.] Religion must always be a matter of intense Self. N o one has the right to enforce or inflicl their religion u p o n someone. In a group setting, complexity easily causes a nf| to develop between people. By using things thai onlv a few people can do. y o u Limit the gn>up to those w h o participate, and those w h o can't. In every group I've been in there is at least one person whose abilities arun't even cli»se to everyone else's. Wicca needs to avoid becoming elitist, and many covens already seem to have an idea of w h a l members s h u u l d be like, b y keeping the recipe for ritual simple, any group may form a firm basis in practice before attempting more difficult maneuvers. Keep it simple, stupid' Tlie preferred metliod of chanting I try to teach all groups is personal chanting, i n which everyone in a group chants what is o n their m i n d , be i l . "East, East, Yea East," or " A l m i g h t y Zeus, Sky Father Supreme." or even my son's spontaneous chanl at three years old " C i r c l e . Circle, Power C i r c l e . " The amount of power felt w i t h this
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method is astounding, and a person w h o wants to use an o l d chant, translated or not, is welcome. The increase In power at the end Is done by increasing volume, with everyone end ing with the same word or phrase, oitcn die "So" of "That it be so," a n easier to end variation on "So mote it Be." 4:Music Weaving This is not a simple method. Often, this accompanies d r u m m i n g and is prevalent i n group- with many musicians and singers. A simple melody is played or sting, a second instrument comes in after the first, w i t h a similar m e l o d y played above it, a third in a lower harmony to the first, a fourth in harmony with the second, a fifth in harmony w i t h the third, and so forth. The power raised and spells worked this way are intense, but require practice and a good many skills. Harper Wicea,a musical trad, uses this exclusively. 5:Tonc Raising While not as complex as music weaving, lone raising is best done with at least one person with perfect pitch and a strong voice. Beginning usually at A or C, the g r o u p uses a single syllable hi match the leaders tone or harmonize. The leader raises the tone or chord and allows the gruup hi increase in pitch and volume, w i t h ihose incapable o l higher notes d r o p p i n g d o w n an octave [singing the same note lower) w h e n the v o l u m e is maximized, everyone shouts out the syllable and "lets" the p o w c r go.
Gods and Goddesses
A lew years ago, a friend and I began compilation of a database of deities, knowing that such a thing would he a life's work- It grows to this day. w i d i many of die entries, consisting of only a name and a e u l ture. The following list is comprised of some of the more compleie entries, it is. by far. a partial list, with many of the G o d s left out either by lack of knowledge, lack of space or lack of a clear head. I've not included some G I K I S w h o are very rare to VYirca. like liri s and Loki (I have enough Eris and Loki in m y life, anyway) and I have also removed a few whose contrasting mythus required too in-depth an explanation ior diis. tormat. but some " e v i l " gods, like A n g r a M a m y u , w h o are never used in Wicca, are included as comparisons or because they make up a central part of a pantheon. I've stayed away from recent Gods, l i k e those from the genres of fantasy and science fiction, so if you find a "character" w i t h i n , it was the author of the Sci-fi, and not I, who pinched a name. Also, I've avoided " n e w " definitions of Gods, the ones that have popped up in many books written by people with no knowledge beyond a few college courses in Mythology. Good works o n M y t h o l o g y are detectable in two ways, ose of materials relating to the culture from w h i c h the myth came, and use of the phrase, "but w e can't be sure of this." A n y o n e w h o tells y o u that they " k n o w " the truth about the worship of these gods had better shush, or show you their time machine. The mythology of these deities is yours to discover, I've only included a brief description, complete with thesaciecl color, if any. of the C o d , and the Totemic spirit front which many of them evolved, Totemlsm is neither new nnr exclusively Native American, in pre-Grecian Mays, for 19!
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instance, the eagle was d(dess) within. 1 (eel I must add that w h e n I refer w i t h i n this mini-Deiology to " m o d e m " gods. 1 am speaking of m o d e m in Ihe anthropological sense, generally post-roman empire " m o d e r n " not in the past few years. A l s o , in the case of culture, Gallic is o f G a u l {ancienf France and much of the Alps). Gaelic is of ancient Ireland but not Celtic. Celtic is o l Ancient Scotland, Ireland, some parts of Wales and some parts of Furope, Welsh is Welsh but not Celtic, Greek is pre-Roman F.mpire Greece, Roman is of t h c H o m a n empire. Likewise. Etruscan and Italian are not Roman, even Ihough much of K o m a n mythology was shared by them, and Persian and Sumerian. w h i c h are sub-groups of Early Indo European, are fhose filings thai m y research showed to be exclusive to Persia and Sorneria. Norse Ls N o r t h e r n Germanic, primarily Danish and Scandinavian, but German is of Germany, specifically. I am a priesless, n n l an Anthropologist, so w h i l e m y research has been extensive, I am sure I have faults herein. U s e it as a starting point for further research, not as the final destinafion-
Name: A d i t i C u l l u r e : Vedic Sex: h' C o l o r Lied A n i m a l : None Notes: Mother of Gi>ds. F.ver-mother. Name: A d o n C u l t u r e : Phoenician S e v M C o l o r A n y A n i m a l - A n y Notes: A n y G o d . M a l e G o d . substitute for " L o r d . " Name: A d o n i s C u l t u r e : Greek. Phoenician Sex: M C u l u n None A n i m a h None
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Nutes: Beauty, Lusl, Mitle VOnlty, Brotherhoixl, Strength, Huntusexuautv. esp. Male, N a m e : A c g i r C u l l u r e : Norse Sev: M Ç a l a n White A n i m a l : A l l sea Notes: G o d of the Sea. W i n d , Storms and sailors Name: A g n i Culture: H i n d u Sex: M C o l o r ; G o l d A n i m a l : None N u t e s : • I of Fire, later a Sun G o d . i le w h o is the agent of sacrifice. :
Name: A h ura M a r d a C u l t u r e ; Persian Sev; M C o l o r G o l d A n i m a l : None Notes; G o d of Goodness, valor, truth, etc. Name: A l l a l u Culture: İSabyIonian /Cartltagian Sev; F C o l o r None A n i m a l : None Notes: A Goddess of the dead and die underworld. Name: A m n i o n Culture: Egyptian Sex.: M C o l o n G o l d A n i m a l : Kam Notes; A m o n , A m u n , Sun G o d . Name; A m o n / A n t o n - K a Culture: Egyptian Sev; M C o l o r G o l d A n i m a l ; Ram Notes: Sun C o d of later Egypt, paired w i l f i R a until they became a sin gle god, "The Lord of The Terrestrial Thrones." A m o n - P a was reincar nated as the preseni L o r d or Lords w h o w e r e in position to lay claim to "god o n earth" status. Name; Angra M a m y u Culture: Persian Sea: M C o l o n Black A n i m a l : None NuteS: The C o d of Evil, treachery, etc. Name: A n n C u l l u r e : Eabvlonian Sex: M C o l o n Blue A n i m a l : None Notes; G o d o l Heaven, Sky Lord, H u s b a n d of K i .
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Name: A n n Culture: Gaelic/Celtic Sex: b C u l o n Green A n i m a l : N o n e Notes; Sometimes called "sister" of Danu, lhe name A n n is also said to he Ihp " O l d name" for Frin, the goddess o l the land of IrelandName: Amphitrite C u l l u r e ; Greek Sex; F C o l o r ; Blue A n i m a l : Ocean Mammals Notes; Goddess of the sea, and daughter of Nereus and Doris, Amphitrite was either wife ur rival or b o t h to Poseidon and was the one, of the two, more likely to grant mercy to sailors. Amphitrite mythology is sparse and much of it dates to m o d e m timesName: A n u h l s Culture: Egyptian Sex: M C o l o r Clack A n i m a l ; Jackal Notes: The G u a r d of the Dead, protector o-f saCred things. A n u b i s was really popular with the Greek royalty o l E g y p t , and may've originated more from Greek ideology than FgyptianName: Aphrodite Culture: Greek Sev: F C o l o r Seafoam A n i m a l : D o v e or Etolphin. Notes; Goddess of love, also a lesser goddess of the sea and war. N a m e : A p o l l o Culture: Greek Sea: M C o l o r G o l d A n i m a l ; Lion, Horse Notes: Sun G o d . Arts and enlightenment, ns well. Name: A p s u C u l l u r e : Babylonian Sex: M C o l o n Blue A n i m a l : Water Notes: Lord of Chaos, River G o d , consort o f Tiamat. Name: A r a d i a C u l l u r e : Italian Sex: P C o l o r Silver A n i m a l : Seagullf?) Notes; Goddess of L u n a r Magick. daughter of Diana. Matron of Witches, A r a d i a also appears as daughter (by his/her o w n creation) of Dianns. Said l o b e the "goddess" of the Charge of the Goddess but this may be a rumor caused by confusion ewer the Charge'5 (and Wicca s) basis. Leland's Poem, A r a d i a . based on a meeting with a w o m a n named Magdalena w h o claimed to practice "the o l d religion" is the
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Primary heard o l ion that w i t h the
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Text lor Antdiâ worship. N o one except Leland ever süv at this Magdalena, and it is this little Wiccan's unpopular opin it she existed at a l l , her " o l d religion" was made up to play ignorant tourist.
Name: Ares Culture: Greek Sex: M C o l o n Red, Black A n i m a l : Ram Notes; G o d o l War and the brutality of tactics, w h o takes his sacrifices from blood spilled in war and gets beaten b y Athena. Name: Arianrhod Cu I |u re; Welsh Sex: F C nl n n Si İver A n i m a l : None Notes: Goddess o l the Stars. Also (Celtic) Sidhe w o m a n w h o watches over standing stones. The Goddess of initiation, she appears i n many Cornish Fam-Trads w i t h a very different face than that she receives in modern Wlcca. Name; Artemis C u l t u r e : Greek Sex: b C o l o r ; White A n i m a l : A l l ESP deer, elk Nutes: Goddess of the hunt whose bow i s l l i e crescent m o o n . Name: A r l i o Culture: Gidilir. Sex: I C u l o n B r o w n A n i m a l : Bear Notes; Ancient Gallic Goddess of Bears, little is k n o w n about ArÖo except that she was the Guardian of the C i t y of rtemeName: Asklepios C u l l u r e . Greek Sex; M C o l o r Green A n i m a l : Snake Notes: G o d of medicine. Name: Astarte Culture: I rreek Sex: I- C o l o n Ued A n i m a l : S p h i n Notes; Goddess of Love, esp. Fertility, Marriage, considered Goddess of Mature Love.
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Name: Astoredi Culture: Phoenician Sex; fr C o l o r R e d , Black A n i m a l ; N'one Notes; Islitar.
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Name: Alhena C u l t u r e : Creek Sex: F C o l o n Gray. W h i le A n i m a l r O w l Goat Notes: Goddess oÉ protection, strength, balanced M i n d / h o d y /spirit. Matron ni Athens. r
Name: Atım Culture: Egyptian Sex: M C u l O n G o l d A n i m a l : Snake Notes; Another Sun G o d , also Atım, A t o m , A l u m Name; Baal (Baste!) Culture: Egyptian S e * ; F C o l o n Black, Green A n i m a l : Cat Notes: Protection, fclinily, seeing in the dork, swiftness of action and other "cat" trails. Name: Sel Culture: Babylonian Se*: M C o l o r brown A n i m a l : None Nntes: EarthNamp; Bollona Culture; Italian/late Rome Sex: F C o l o r Violet Animal: Hawk Notes; Goddess o l war, esp. tactical maneuvers. Her followers were especial ly violent Name; Brahma Culture: H i n d u Sex: M C o l o r None A n i m a l : None Notes: Creator, all-fa ther. Name: Brigid Culture: Celtic Sex: V C o l o n Red/Black A n i m a l : H a w k Notes; The Two faced Goddess, scarred o n one side, beautiful o n the other, Brigid is. Goddess nf Fire and the Forge, and Goddess of Poetry and beauty. Name: Ceres C u l t u r e : K o m a n Sex: P O d o r : G o l d Plant: A l l y grain Notes; The Goddess Demeler, although she is sometimes confused w i t h her o w n daughter. Kore.
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Name: Cernunnos Culture: Celtic, (Gallic and Welsh) Sex: M Color: N o n e A N I M A L Deer Nnles: T fumed G o d of the H u n t and Winter also Kemunnous, Kerne. Cerne, Hernc. Name: C e r t i d w e i l Culluce: Welsh Sex: V C o l o n Varies A n i m a l : A l l Notes; Goddess of Ihe harvest, esp. the final harvest. The forth face of Ihe moon. Name; Coleus Culture: Roman Sex: M C n l n r : C o l d A n i m a l : H a w k M a t e s Sun G o d , asyntltcsis of D r n w d and Zeus. Name: Cybele Culture: Phrygian Sex: P C o l o n None A n i m a l : None Noles; Mother Goddess. Later Komanized.. see Eihea. Name; Danu 11} C u l l u r e : Greek Sex; F C o l o r Blue A n i m a l : Eagle Notes; Mother of Perseus, D a n u or Danae wasn't a goddess, hut one of many women Zeus fell in Love with. Poseidon offered Danu safe passage across the sea lo a far off land. In one legend, it is believed that when she died Zeus granted her eternal lift? on O l y m p u s . Another says lhat she was spirited far away to a land where the rest of her children were GodsName: Danu (2) Culture; Celtic, Gaelic Sex: F C o l o r Red A n i m a l ; Whale Notes; Danu was the mother of the Sidhe, the Celtic Gods, she was said to come from a far off land. In some so-called Celtic Mythology. Danu was the Wife of Jupiter, b u l l think that was just a combination of coincidence and Roman conversion techniques. Name: Danu {3} C u l l u r e ; Vedic Sex; F C o l o r black A n i m a l ; Serpent Notes: Mother to the Donavan, the " b a d g u y s " of the Vedas. The Restrainer. Name: Demeter Culture: Greek Se«i F C o l n n G o l d Plant: Grain
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Notes: The G r a i n mother, mother uf Persephurle. Name: Diana C u l t u r e : Roman Sex: F I o hır: Blue/Silver ,\ ıı: i v . : I. Deer Notes: Lunar Goddess, Artemis, sometimes Selene Name: Diaiieecht C u l t u r e : Celtic, mostly Gaelic S E X : M Colurr White A n i m a l ; Snake and Fish, N o t e s : • .1 o l Medicine. :
Name: Dionysos C u l t u r e : Creek S e « M C o l o r Red Plant: Grape, Apple Notes; G o d o l the Cultivated Vine, Name: D u m u z i C u l t u r e : Sumerian Sex: M C o l o r : None Flank Date Palm Notes: Lord of the Marshes, fertile land and the Date P a l m . H u s b a n d of Inanna, Thamuz. Name: Ea C u l t u r e : Babylonian Sex: M C o l o r Blue/black A n i m a l ; Shark Notes: G o d o l waters, the Abyss. Name; Id C u l t u r e : Phoenician and/or Canaanlte (?!) S e u M C o l o r White A n i m a l : B u l l Note*.: Father uf A l l Gods. Power of Powers. A d u n , A d o n i , Creator. Name: F.nki C u l t u r e : Sumerian Sex: M C o l o n Blue/Blark A n i m a l : Fish Notes; Ea Name: Epona C u l t u r e : Gallic Sex; F C o l o r ; Brown/White A n i m a l ; ilorse Notes: Goddess and protector ol horses, Epona was adopted by both the Romans and the Celts. She was said to choose a General by appearing as
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a while horse and leading h i m into battle. One wonders if Napoleon knew this. Name; Ereshkigal C u l t u r e : Sumerian Sext E C o l o n None A n i m a l : None Nutes: A i i a t u Name: Ems C u l l u r e : Creek Se*: N o n C o l ur: Red A n i m a l : Dove Notes; C u p i d or A m o r , See Hermaphrodite Name; Eshmun C u l t u r e : Phoenician Sex:
M C o l o n Creen A n i m a l :
Snake Nutes: A n early AsklepiuS Name: Flora C u l t u r e : Roman Sex: F Color? Pink PI an I: A l l flowersNotes: Coddess o l (lowers. Beltane, sometimes Persephone Name: E'nrluna C u l t u r e : Roman Sex: P C o l o n None A n i m a l : None Notes; Goddess of Luck, Tyelie. Name: Gad Culture; Syrian S e t b C o l o r G o l d A n i m a l : None Notes: Fortuna Name: Gaia/Gaea C u l t u r e ; Greek/Norse Sex: F C o l o r Green A n i m a l ; All Notes; The Entity Terra, protector of a l l non-human things. Earth Mother. Name: G e t C u l t u r e : Babylonian Sen: M C o l o r Brown A n i m a l : None Nutes: Earth. Name: Geshtinanna Grape
C u l l u r e : Sumerian
Sex: F C o l o n Wine Plant:
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Note*: M u c h like Dionysus, paired, they make a wonderful dun to pray to when your vineyard is flooding.
Name: Gilbil C u l l u r e : Babylonian Sen: M C o l o n Orange A n i m a l : Lizard Notes; Fire, Name: Hades C u l l u r e ; Greek Sea: M C o l o r : Black/Yellow A n i m a l : Horse, D o g Noles: The name is litoral i ty "unseen." L o r d of ihe underworld, the one who chooses ihe fate of the dead. Name: Hecate Culture: Greek Sex: F C o l o r Black A n i m a l : Bat N riles: Goddess of Caves, Magick and the waning and new moon. Name: Hera C u l hi re: Greek Se»; F C o l o n R e d A n i m a l ; Peacock Nuies: Goddess of Marriage, retribudmi, fairplav, fiery and leniperamenial. Name: I lermaphrodite C u l l u r e : Greek S e c Both C o l u n None A n i m a l : None Nntes: Ems, before he was "toned d o w n . " The exact union nf the G o d s Hermes and Aphrodite, a god of passion. Name: ileslia Culture:Greek Sex: i C u l o n Brown A n i m a l : H o u n d Notes; Goddess of the Hearth, H o m e , Watcher over children and families. r
Name: H o r u s Culture: Egyptian Sex: M C o l o n Gold A n i m a l ; H a w k Nutes: Sun G o d . adopted by Greeks, also g o d of Time, Divination and Magick¬ Name; Hypnos C u l l u r e : Koman S e t M C o l o n Blue P l a n t : P o p p y N files: SveSomnus.
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Name: I I I M U C u l l u r e : B.ibyluiiiiin Sex: ] C o l o r : Green Plant: Date Palm Nntes: Great Mother, A l l mother. Goddess oE l.nve, the M o o n . Date Mother, Ishtar. :
Name: liulr.t C u l l u r e : H i n d u Sex: M C o l u i : Blue A n i m a l : None Notes; Guardian of Heaven. N a m e : Isis Culture: Egyptian S e t E C o l o r : Black A n i m a l : H a w k Notes: A l l Mother, Trifnrmih. Name: Islar/lshtar Culture: Babylonian Sex; F C o l o r Black A n i m a l ; Lion Notes; Goddess of War. Dove and more. Namcrjovis Culture: Roman S e t M C o l o r : G o l d A n i m a l : Eagle Notes; Jupiter. Name: Juno Culture; Etonian S e t E C o l o r ; Red A n i m a l ; Peacock Notes: I lera. Name; Jupiter Culture: Roman Sex: M C o l o n G o l d A n i m a l : Eagle Notes: Literally "Zeus Pater" Father Zeus. Father of Gods. Name: Kali Culture: 1 lindu S e t F C u l o r : FJlflclt A n i m a l : None Notes; Black K a l i , Nemesis. Protector of Women and Goddess of Creation via destruction. Name: Kerridwen Culture; Celtic/Welsh Sex: F C o l o r ; Varies A n i m a l : All Notes; See C e r r i d w e n Name: K i Culture; Babylonian S e t E C o l o r None A n i m a l ; None Nntes: Wife of A n u , Earth. Gaea-
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Name: Lug(h) C u l l u r e : Celtic esp. Gaelic Sex: M C o l o n While A n i m a l : Lynx Notes: C o d o l Justice. Nam?: Maat Culture: Egyptian Sex: F C o l o r ; Black A n i m a l : Cat Nutes: Goddess of vengeance and reward, the fourth face. Name: M a r d u k Culluce: Babylonian SEX: M C o l nr. W h i l e A n i m a l : None Notes: K i n g oE the Gods. Name: Mars Culture: Roman Se*: M C o l o r ; Clack, Red A n i m a l : Bull, Wolf Notes; Ares Name; Mcreurius C u l l u r e : Roman S e t M C o l o n Red A n i m a l : Hart, Falcon Notes: Mercury, Lord of children, news, also commerce, inspiration. Name: Minerva Culture; Etruscan Sex: F C o l o n Grav A n i m a l : O w l Notes; Athena Name: Mitfta/Miha/Mithras Culture: H i ^ Se<; M C o l o r G o i d A n i m a l ; Eagle Notes: Proleetor, Waniur. Key of knowledge. Sun G o d , eStablisher of Laws. The celestial negotiator. Name; Morpheus Culture: Greek S e t M C o l o n Violet Plant: Poppy Notes; Lord of Dreams. Name: Morrigan, The Culture: Celtic Sex: F C o l o r Black A n i m a l ; Raven/Crow Notes; the Battle Raven, Goddess of War. both for justice a n d for greed- N o t to be confused w i t h the A r t h u r i a n character Morgana.
Name: Morrigu Cullure: Gaelic Sex: F C o l o r : Crow Nntes: See Morrigan, The.
I
, A n i m a l : Raven/
Name: Nemesis C u l l u r e : Greek Sev: F C o l or, Black A n i m a l : Griffon V , | ••• Tile Fourth Pat* of ihe Goddess. Dispenser of Justice, In " M a i d e n / M o t h e r / C r o n e " beliefs. Nemesis is Ihe N e w M o o n , while Hecate is the waning n u H i n . It's interesting to nole lhal mosl triple goddesses include Nemesis as ihe new m o o n but never mention her, as if thai could keep her from noticing the little bits of "Bad K a r m a " w e accumulate! Name: Nepthys C u l l u r e : Egyptian Sex: F C o l o n Black A n i m a l : Cat Notes; Goddess of C h i l d b i r t h , protector of Midwifes Name: Neptune C u l t u r e ; Roman Sex: M C o l o n Blue A n i m a l : D o l p h i n Notes; See Poseidon N a m e N u a d u Culture: Celtic Sex: M C o l o r Silver A n i m a l : Horse Notes: The Divine Father Name: N u i t C u l t u r e : Egyptian Sex: F C o l o r Black A n i m a l : Cat Notes: See N u t Name: N u t Culture: Egyptian Sex: F C u l o c Black A n i m a l : Cat Notes; Goddess of ihe N i g h t , Stars, A l l mother. Name; O d i n Culture: Norse Sex: M C o l o r ; White A n i m a l : Wolf Notes; The lord of male changes,- Child--.lover..,husband.--father... lord. r
Name: O r m a z d Culture: Persian Sex: M C o l o n G o l d A n i m a l : None Notes; See A h u r a M a z d a
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Name: Osiris Culture: Egyptian Sex: M C o l o r : Silver A n i m a l : I l a w k Notes; The former king, Star king, he w h o was, lord of the After w o r l d Name; Pan/Pan Mcgas C u l t u r e ; Creek Sex: M C o l o n Black A n i m a l : Satyr Notes: C o d o l sexuality and freedom. Name; Persephone Culture: Creek Sex: F C i d e r : Rose Plant: Flowers Noles; Goddess of Spring and Winter. Goddess of Flowers Name; Pluto Culture: Roman Sex: M C o l o n Black A n i m a l : D o g Notes; See Hades N a m e : Poseidon Culture: Greek S e t M C o l o r Blue A n i m a l : D o l p h i n N files: I .ord of the SeaSN a m e . Prajapati Culture: V e d k Sex: M C o l o r None A n i m a l : None Nules: A l l father, successor to Varnna Name: Psyche C u l l u r e : Creek Sex: F C o l o n Violet A n i m a l : Butterfly Notes; Goddess of intellect, innocence, perfect love. Lust tempered into love, Later Goddess of ESP and mental powers Name: Ra C u l l u r e ; Egyptian Sex; M C o l o r G o l d A n i m a l : H a w k Nutes: Sun G o d . lie w h o incarnates as the l o r d of Lords Name: Rhea C u l l u r e : Roman Sex; F C n l n n Brown A n i m a l : A l l Noles: Replaced Caca, later adopted the characteristics of Cybele Name: Selene Culture: Ancient Greek Sex: F C o l o n Blue A n i m a l : none Notes; Ancient Goddess of Motherhood a n d the full moon Name: Shamash Culture; Babylonian S * c
Birds
M Color: Gold Animal;
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Nule s: Sun G o d Name: Silvanus Culture: Gallic Sex: M C o l o n W h i l e A n i m a l : Will f Notes: The Father Wolf, hunter supreme and all-around good guy: Father G o d . Name: Somus C u l t u r e : Greek Sex; M C o l o r ; Red Plant; P o p p y Notes: C o d o l Sleep and healing Name: SnrellLIS C u l t u r e : Gallic Sex: M C n l n r : Gray A n i m a l : Wolf Notes: The Lone Wolf, The Ravager Name: Tan it C u l t u r e : Carthaginian Sex: F C u l u n Silver A n i m a l : I [art Notes; Artemis Name; Thamuz/Tamuz C u l t u r e : Babylonian S e t Plant; Date Palm Notes: I l u s b a n d o i Ishlar, A M a l e Persephone
M C o l o n Green
Name: Thanalns C u l t u r e : Greek Sex: M C o l o n G u l d A n i m a l : N o n e Noles; G o d o l the actual death process. Name; Themis C u l t u r e : Greek Sex: F C o l o n G u l d A n i m a l : Eagle Notes; Goddess o l justice, inspirer of L a w s . Pagan Patron Goddess o l the U S A Name: Thor C u l t u r e : Norse Sex: M C o l o n G o l d A n i m a l : N o n e Noles: G o d of 5torms, Justice, mines and war, protector of the com¬ mon man Irom the fury of his brethren Name: T h o l h C u l t u r e ; Egyptian Sex; M C o l o r ; G o l d A n i m a l : None Notes: G o d of spirit, numbers, the schular.
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\,i Ti.mial Culture: I . : h , I. • I..:I . Sex: F Culor: GoJd A n i m a l : Dragon N nles: Dragon of Chaos, bringer o l Salt Warter. Name: Triformis Culture; Roman Sex; F,F.F C o l o n G o l d Plant: Trillium Notes; The Triple Goddess. Also used to describe (incorrectly} Hecate. Name; Typhon Culture: Greek S e t M C o l o n G o l d A n i m a l : Kat Nfiles: Set Name: T y i Culture; Norse Sex; M C o l o r ; G o l d A n i m a l : Horse Neiles: The Warrior god, G o d of tutal j uslice and fair play. Name: Varuna Culture: H i n d u / V e d i f Sex: Ram Notes; H i g h G o d of the Vedas
W Colon Gold Animal:
Name: Venus Culture; Roman Sex; F C o l o r G o l d A n i m a l ; Dove Notes: Aphrodite Name: Vesta Culture: Roman Sex: F C o l o r : G o l d A n i m a l : None Notes: Goddess of Kite, keeper of the sacred flame. Name: V i s h n u Culture: Hindu/Vedic Sex: M C o l o n G o l d A n i m a l : Fish Nnles: A l l Father, lord of oceans. Name: Vulcanus Culture: Roman S e x : M C o l o r G o l d A n i m a l : None N u l e * : Fire, volcanoes, later smithing and steel. Namp: Wodan Culture: German Sex: M C o l o n Gray A n i m a l : Wolf Notes; Varied, but mostly a combination of O d i n and Sylvanus
Holiday and Lunar Recipes
H o l i d a y recipes: The Following are some o l the bent recipes for the holidays- M a n y of the foods are traditional, b u l some ace n o t U is quite eclectic. There arcfew dairy products because m y life partner canrtoi have milk products beyond small quantities. Where almond " m i l k " is called for, an equal amount of regular milk may be used, but soy or rice m i l k s may be too thin, so experiment with a lesser amount. Where possible, I've also included simple variations on cake mises or prc-prepared foods for those w h o are cooking impaired. The Liminal Holidays: Spring: Early s p r i n g recipes include those things w i t h young herbs, sprouts and seeds, like Herb Bread, Cranola M u f f i n s . Spring Pice and LemonP o p p y Seed Cupcakes Green Herb Bread: 1 1 / 2 cup white flour 1 / 2 c u p iiatmeal 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 1/3 cup hot but not boiling water 1 tablespoon eacli young shouts o i ; d i l l , tarragon, parsley, chives, sage lean be made w i t h grown, dry herbs, but a l l o w them to hydrate in an equal amount of hut water.) 1 / 2 teaspoon each ground, dried Rosemary and Savory Dash salt or 1 pinch dried, powdered kelp am
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1 packet of yeast 1 tablespoons vegetable shortening or 3 tablespoons a l m o n d butter 1 tablespoon honey M i x together die flours and oatmeal, lot sit. Combine In a small pan the shortening, herbs, salt, honey and water, heat to hot but not boiling, .nlnl yeast and stir rapidly, removing from heat. M i x into dry ingredients and beat w i t h a bread kneader. gloved hand or thick w o o d e n spoon. C o v e r ligbLy. then let rise 30 minutes to an in a w a r m area or an oven that was heated to250° and turned off twenty minutes before. Pat down d o u g h and m i x again, grease a loaf pan or a round cake pan. Flare dough into pan and let rise 30 minutes. Heat oven to 375", brush top of loaf w i t h a small amount of o i l , then sprinkle w i t h oatfi, and a few bits of d r i o d herbs. Bake until loaf i golden and sounds h o l l o w w h e n softly i h u m p e d w i t h a w o o d e n spoon. minutes. Granola Muffins; 1 1/2 cups flour( a m i x of white and w h o l e wheat with a dash of oat bran is the best) 1 cup granola (we used a low fat granola w i t h freeze dried raspberries.) 1/3 cup wheat germ (optional, w e used a commercially prepared honey roasted version) 4 tablespoons baking powder 1/2 c u p vegetable o i l 1/2 CUp lowfat milk 1 large egg or two ounces egg substitute 1 c u p dried or fresh fruit (with a little bit of sugar if it is "sour"} 1/3 c u p orange or clover honey, or similar " l i g h t " honey Combine dry ingredients in a bowl or bag. combine wet/moist ingredients in a bowl. Slowly add dry to wet. a d d i n g more milk if the batter is loo sticky. It should be thick, sticky batter Spoon into 12 muffin cups and bake in an oven that has been preheated to 400 for about fifteen minutes. These burn very easily, so remove them from pan at once! s
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Spring Rice: 3 cups hot cooked rice 1 f l i p path cooked carrnls. m m , yellow squash and red peppers diced finely. dash sail 2 tablespoons Vegetable juice. Combine ail ingredients, mix and serve, great made with leftovers. Lemon-poppy seed cupcakes: Pre pit red lemon cake mix Prepared lemon frosting 2/3 c u p p o p p y seeds w a k e d in hot water cind allowed to sit overnight M o r e puppy seeds Follow the mix's directions, adding the strained 2/3 cups poppy seeds w i t h the other ingrpdients, and bake as per thp instructions for cupcakes. Frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle lightly with dried poppy seeds. 1
Summer: Summer solstice celebrations are often h e l d outside and include feasts of ihe first fruits. Fndt salads are prelty self-explanatory, b u t this recipe combines minitarts, starfruit and strawberries, and pulls it off with only ten minutes in the oven. 12 mini tart shells fur baking 1 can strawberry pie filling I stalimit sliced into 12 thin star pieces. Pill shells with filling, bake in a 300" oven for eight to ten minutes. C h i l l , top w i t h starfruitGuaeamole {a little non-traditional, but Wiccans and tortilla chips are inseparable, so w e use a brighl avocado d i p in our Summer solstice feast.)
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3 avocados, peeled arid mashed, use two very ripe mashed arid i m e semi-ripe, diced lor best texture. 2 diced tomatoes or .T diced Roma tomatoes 1 large sweet onion, diced i lablespoon finely diced garlic 1/2 red bell pepper, diced. Zest of önelime cayenne and palapeno pepper to taste. M i x all ingredients, chill.
Autumn: In O U T part of the country, the A u t u m n a l Equinox is the apple: harvest, so our recipes are packed inil o l apples: Home brewed A p p l e Sauce: 6 apples, peeled, pared and diced. 1 cup water 1/3 cup R E A L maple syrup, and i l you use "pancake s y r u p " Ihis w i l l taste just awful, so dun't blame me. 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cloves Combine all ingredients in saucepan a n d heal slowly, mixing unlii sauce lecture. Serve w a r m , prelerably over a good Erench v a n i l l a frozen yogurt. tRBST free, of course!) M u l l e d Cider: Combine in a cheese cloth Cinnamon sticks, pieces o l vanilla, bean, doves and allspice so thai the mixture equals about 1/4 cup per gallon o l cider, {go easy on the cloves.) T i e off the cheese cloth and loss into a pot fuil of cider, heat to just boiling, then let sit several minutes. Serve w a r m
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Yule: Wé narrowed this d o w n lo three recipes, b u l Yule recipes are numer ous- I musí thank I.ady Martia of Bell C o v e n fnr the Pint recipe and enough, frozen cranberries, lo make about fiflv loaves! Bell Coven Bug Bread 1 1 / 2 cups cranberries 1 cup sugar 1 / 4 c u p vegetable o i l l/4cupalmnnd"miik" 1 1/2 isp. vanilla 4 egg whites fadd a pinch of food coloring lor " y e l l o w " bread) 1 1/2 cup-, whole wheal/white flour mixture 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon dash ground clove 3 / 4 e u p c h o p p e d walnuts Combine ingredients; pour into greased and floured loaf pan. Bake one hour in a 35İ1 oven, berve w a r m w i t h butter. 3
C u rrant Teaca kes: 1 cup butler, not margarine1/2 Clip confectioners powdered sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 1 /2 cups flour 1/2 c u p chopped walnuts 1 / 2 c u p dried currants dash sail dash cinnamon(oplional) Topping: Confecdoner's sugar w i l h dash of green and red crystal sugar.
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M i l tu : . 1/2 cup Confectioner's Sugar, vanilla currants.. Slowly add flour and nuts unfit dough balls. Place nn Ibp back o l a cookie sheet, cm l o p of possible. Bake 10 rninules on until firm but n o l oven. Roll while hoi in sugar Lopping.
sail cinnamon and. can be lormed into parcbmenl paper, if browned in a 400°
Gingerbread: {This is the cookie type of Gingerbread, nod the s o i l kind.) 1/3 c u p b r o w n sugar 2 lbs- honey 1 / 4 c u p shortening 3/4 c u p dark molasses 1/4 Cup water 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cops whole wheat flour or 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup rye or buckwheat. 11/2 cups white flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons ginger dash salt 1 teaspoon each: Allspice. Cloves, C i n n a m o n , ground. M i * sugar, shortening, honey, molasses, vanilla and water. A d d otlter ingredients, using hands to mix them (this is really sticky stuff! scrape off hands, Cover, refrigerate for at leasl one hour, belter if left overnight. Roll d o u g h 1/4 inch thick a n d cut into shapes, place on greased cookie sheet for 10-1 ft minutes (depends on whether you want them H A K D o r kind of soft) in an oven healed to 3 W Decorate. 3
The Pour Major Sabbats: Beltane: blower cake:
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Take a regular white double layer Cake, frost w i t h white frosting. U s t a paintbrush (o Spread reconstituted egg white or thinned honey on edible flowers arid leaves, and small berries, d i p in superfine granulated sugar. Use the leaves, flowers and berries lo a e a l e a pentacle on top of the cake, put a votive candle in the center. Athena Bread: 6 cups Hour: Unbleached {1 use 1/4 w h o l e wheat lo 3/2 unbleached white lo 1/4 buckwheat or o a t - A N Y w o r k s , btil more lhan 1/2 " h e a v y " flour w i l l make this bread tough) 1 tbsp salt 3 tbsp O l i v e O i l 1/2 c u p finely minced Black. Green and R e d Mediterranean Olives 1 c u p canned ripe olives, minced {save the water) 2 teaspoons minced garlic. 2 packages yeasl 1 1/2 cups water 2 tbsp honey commeal Combine 3 cups flour, salt, o i l , garlic, olives. In a measuring cup, add enough water to the olive "juice" to equal 3/4 cup. A d d 1 1/2 cups hot water to this. A d d honey. A d d yeasl. Beat lightly, let sit for 1 minute. It should be foamy If it's N O T , y o u need to try again. (Water shouldn't be more than 130° F. and the yeast shouldn't be Over 1 year old) A d d the Foamy yeast mixture to the dry st ufJ and mix w e l l . A d d the rest of the flour slowly. II dough is too sticky to handle, add up to 1 1/2 cups more flour. Knead on a floured surface for about 10 minutes- Form inlo a sort o l flattened ball. Grease a b o w l , place the ball o l d o u g h into the b o w l , and turn so that the top of the d o u g h is lightly greased. Let rise for one hour in a w a r m place.
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Punch d o w n dough. Form genlly into T W O balls arid flatten lightly. Cover a L A R G E baking sheet In a thin layer oi cornnieal. Flace the loaves a least 4 inrhes apartUsing a very sharp knife, slit the lops o l the bread 3-4 times, making a asterix-like pa Item- [The slits should only g o in a few millimeters, and go across the top 1/3 o l me bread, in theeonler) L e i rise 40 minutes, or until twioe the size they were belore. If it looks like they will touch, gently separate Ihem. Bake in a 425 degree oven lor about 30 minutes. When done, ihey w i l l sound hollow if you tap them. LET C O O L C O M P L E T E L Y before, cutting for an even texture. Beltane Punch: 2 tablespoons honey dissolved In 1/2 cup hot water, cooled I /2 r u p lemon juice 1 quart orange juice 1 liter sparkling water. 1 liter lemon-lime soda Combine, serve cold with Irozen strawberries in the mixture. Beltane is best celebrated w i t h fresh fruits and vegelables. lor w h i c h no recipes are neededLughnasa: Golden G r a i n bread 1 cup while flour I tablespoon honey dash salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 package yeast 11/2 cup very w a r m water 1 cup wheat Hour 1/2 c u p rye or buckwheat flour 3/4 c u p wheat germ, (preferably a honey rnasled varietyl
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1/2 c u p Irish oatmeal (or regular d i d Iashionud inlmeal.) 1 tablespoon c o m meal Dissolve honey i n l o h o i ivaler. A d d yeast, n i x rapidly. A d d dour, sail, baking soda. Boat w i t h a solid beater or w o o d e n spoon until complelely combined- Combine all other ingredients u n d i y o u have a thick baiter. If too sticky, add more flour. Beat well, then d i v i d e into two loaves. Place in greased loal pans, sprinkle lop w i t h a little cornmeal, wheat germ and oatmeal. Let rise for one half hour. Bake i n a 400° oven for 25 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan while hot. C o r n bread This is a Yankee journey bread, supposedly based o n a recipe from a friend's Bostonian ancestress, wile o l an importer. The cayenne is m y addition; |o " f i x " the lesser quality paprika we receive up north, which is more color than flavor. 2 cups cornmeal 2 tablespoons paprika 1 teaspoon parsley 1 tablespoon finely minced onion 1/2 c u p finely shredded carrot 1 / 4 teaspoon shredded cheese 1 cup cut c o m 1 / 4 Cup flour Dash cayenne 1 / 4 c u p margarine or hotter 2 cups plain yogurt, sour milk or buttermilk 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon honey dash salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 eggs
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Crease an oven-safe skillet (or an SX8X2 square) m i x .ill Ingredients very well, pour into skillet, bake 25 minutes or until well browned {a little longer in a square pan.) at 4.sti° Samhain: Samhain punch: 1 quart each dandelion or grapefruit w i n e and d r y red w i n e tor 2 quarts d r y red.) 1 12oz. concentrated orange juice, thawed. İ 1/2 n i p lemon j u k e . Chopped citrus fruit, strawberries and cherries Combine all ingredients, let sit 1/2 hour., serve w i t h (dry ice for a " s p o o k y " punch.} Try A mixture of cranberry and grapefruit juice hır a non-alcoholic variation. This punch is the e*act color of a u t u m n leaves, and Ihe ancestors like it. A s Tamryn says (when it comes nut right) Even y o u r dead great grandmother w i l l like diis punch! Jack O Lantern bread You know that stringy p u m p k i n stuff? The inner gunk y o u remove w h e n y o u are making a jack o lantern? T h e stuff y o u r mother always said was useless? Well, prove her wrong! To prepare p u m p k i n " h a i r " : Remove seeds, combine in a large sauce pan all the p u m p k i n goo, extra pieees of p u m p k i n meat, an equal amount of water, and three tablespouns maple syrup {add nutmeg, if desired) Heat to a boil, then simmer for one hour or until no water remains. IJrain into a cheese cloth or small holed inlander, hut don't squeeze. Measure out three cups of the stuff. Freeze the rest. To this, combine: 1 1/2 cup sugar 111 c u p vegetable o i l 1 tablespoon vanilla 4
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2 cups (lour İ cup wheat flour
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2 leafipOOciS baking soda 1 leas poem cinnamon \/2 teaspoon cloves 1/2 teaspoon Allspice 1/2 teaspoon N u t m e g 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Dash salt Combine all ingredients, a d d Hours last. P o u r i n t o ? greased loal pans. Bake one hour in a 3PK>° oven, place pans into refrigerator for five minutes, then remove loaves from pans and l e i cool. P u m p k i n seed I n a large rectangular baking dish dissolve 1 tablespoon salt into 1 cup water. A d d enough p u m p k i n seeds to just cover bottom of pan. A l l o w to sit in a 250° oven for 1 hour, or until all water a gone, turn oven up t o 4 0 0 roast 5 minutes, shake, roasf a few minules more- Rub roasted seed w i t h paper towels to catch extra salt. l
Imbolc: Imbolc is the meager feasl. the time w h e n stores are at their lowest. M a n y of these ingredients a re often " l y i n g around-" Oatmeal cookies 1 eup brown sugar 1/2 c u p butter 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 / 4 teaspoon baking powder dash salt "WW 1 1/2 cups oatmeal 1 c u p flour 1
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1 cup raisins Or chocolate chips. (or chocolate Oflvered raisins) Combine all ingredients and drop (easpoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet Bake at -175° far 10 mimiles o r until firmish and golden. A l l o w to sit a l least one hall hour o n a wax-paper covered countertop. Mart's Variation: Substitute 1/2 c u p white sugar and 1/2 cup b r o w n sugar lor the bn>wn sugar, a d d 1/4 teaspoon ginger and 1/2 cup each dried, sweetened cranberries and blueberries instead o l raisins.
Snow cakes 1 White C a k e mix, prepared 1 white frosting 1 package shredded coconut 1 small package slivered almonds Prepare while cupcakes as directed by m i x , adding 1/2 cup coconut lo the mix. Frost, dip frosted tops in bowl of shredded coconut lop cupcakes w i t h small bits of almonds. A variation on this uses White "chocolate" w i t h almonds, finely grated, instead of coconut. Circle of light cake: Prepare any ring cake as directed on package, place thirteen candles along the cake (tapers, not birthday candles) light before serving. Lunar recipes: A n y recipe can he a lunar recipe, just make it round. The following are two citrusv favorites for M o o n Ceremonies. Logan's Lunar L e m o n Cookies; 3 cups powdered sugar 2 cups unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 11/2 teaspoon lemon extract
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KK 4 cups (lour 2 leaspoons cream of tartar Cur w i t h m o o n cookie culters. M i * and bake at 37?'. lor B minutes. unlil l i g h l brown. Once cool, glaze w i i h lhe following: 2/3 c u p buticr 4 cups powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon lemon extract. ?est of one lemon lemon juice Heal butter in a sauce pan unlil melied. slowly a d d sugar, vanilla, lemon extract and the zest of one l e m o n . A d d lemon juice in tablespoons untit a thick soupy consistency. D r i z z l e o n top of cookies. Pentacle variation: Cut rookies into rircles A d d less lemon juice, creating J soupy "frosting" (rosl cookies, then d r a w pentacles w l d i another color [I like blue] of commercial decorating frosting. ? E
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Lunar Lemon/limeade: 2 quarts cold water 3/4 c u p sugar 2 cups lemon or lime juice (or a combination of both) Dissolve sugar in juice, combine w i t h water, stir well.
İncense
I make no claims fo b e a n esperi o n incense, oils, and the like. Nearly all oE Ihe information here appears as I w o u l d use i l from m y o w n Grimoires. I've Irled lo be concise, but the creation o l and the various purposes of incense requires in depth reading. Rarely do 1 feei com pelled to tell a student "no. go read about this somewhere else." but. well, go. The f o l l o w i n g table lists some basic fragrances and their iises. The lorms used are up to y o u . For information. 1 heartily Suggest The Completo Book of Incense, Oils f> ffnrms, by Scott C u n n i n g h a m {Llewellyn Publications, 19Çİ9) and any books, Wiccan/Pagan or not, on aromatherapy. Acacia: Attunement, Motherhood- The Goddesses H e r a , Leto, Wolf deities. A c o m : (Ground acorns make a musky addition to any incense) Fertility, M a l e Deity, Masculinity, Power. The G o d s Tupiter, Zeus and Odin. A l l s p i c e : Cleansing, The Element of Fire, Health, Warmth, A n end to tear. Power. A m b e r i Warm): Attunement, The Consecration o l Tools. The Element o l Earth, Exorcism, Healing. ( M y favorite amber is the Labdanum Resin Irom Cistus iadaniferous) H i n d u G o d s , G o d s affiliated w i t h Forests. Amber. Fragrant (or "Sweet"): Authority. G o d s , Meditation, Protection. Gods of Love, Erotic pursuits and ecstasy. A p p l e t blossom); iWtility, Prevention of Elomesickness, Spring. The Goddess Persephone and similar springtime deities.
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A p p l e l i r u i t h The Cycle of Life, Happiness. Marriage. The Goddesses H e r a , Aphrodite and Eris, as well as the A p p l e Mother figure herself, a syncretic Earth mother figure. Bayberry: Birth, Cleansing, Initiation, Yule. The C o d s of Winter. Bay (laurel): Achievement, Consecration, Divination, Exorcism, PriestfesSels, M a l e Deity, the G o d A p o l l o . Bergamo!; Attunement. Holiness. I' I ackb B nyL C reativity. Tenacity, Wildness. Pan. Blueberry: Goddesses, Harvests, Protection of crops. Survival in bad weather C a I mint/Catnip: Creativity, Gymnastic/acrobatic ability. Inner Harmony. Luck. Playfulness. Power, Visions. A n y cat deities. Cedar: Attunement, Ceremonial States, Cleansing, Consecration uf Tools, H e a l i n g . Purification, Purity, Strength, G o d s of Forests and the sea. C h a m o m i l e : Centering, Luck. Peace G o d s affiliated w i t h its calming abilities, such as PaxC i n n a m o n : Centering. Divination, Element of Fire, Healing, Oneness, Warmth. Bird and Eagle G o d s , Forge GodsC l o v e ; Element uf Earth, 1 ieaiing. A n end to Pain, Openness, Preservation, Warmth, Wisdom. U n d e r w o r l d G o d s and gods of gentle deathCypress: Banishing, Consecration of tools. Oaths, O u t of Body experiences. G o d s of the Sea. Damiana: Aphrodisiac. Luve. Love and Erotic deities. Frankincense: Ancestral memory. Divination. Eloliness. Initiation, Protection, Riches. A n y deitv. Floral, A n y : Element of A i r , Fertility, Goddesses (esp. Fioralia}. Nov.' beginningsG a r d e n i a : Aphrodisiac. Beauty. Love, Marriage, Perfect Trust. A n y Goddesses. G i n g e n A n o i n t i n g , Element of Fire. Energy, 1 (eEding. Holiness, Warmth. A n y oriental deities, the expense of quality imported ginger makes it a good votive sacrifice-
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G i n s e n g : A phrod isiac. Creativity, Element of Earth, Thought, Warmth, use as y o u w o u l d ginger or D a m i n a . I luneysuckle: Creativity, Element of A i r . I.ove, Peace, Tranquillity, Wildness. A n y " u n t i i m e d " female deity. Jasmine: Anointing, The Element of Water, Fertility, Goddesses, Inspiration, The Night, Tire M u o i i . Poelry. The Goddesses. N y x and Persephone. Lavender: Altunemenl, Cleansing, H e a l i n g , Health, L u c k . Lust. A n y hearth or purity Goddesses, from Vesta through Athena. I.emnn; Appetite, Cleansing. The Element o l Fire, Health- Another good virgin goddess offering. Lily o l The Valley: The Goddess Nemesis, The Fey, Purity, Virginity, Wisdom, i t s lOfcicily i s a g o o d reminder that sweetness can hide danger. Lotus: The Element of Water, Energy, Holiness, Inner Harmony, Inner Peace, Visions. W i s d o m . Many Indus valley and Oriental G I H H S . Mace: see N u t m e g . M a r i g o l d : Fertility, Health, Sun, Warmth- G o d s of protection of the garden. M e l i s s a (Lemon Balmk Healing, Element of Water, Fertility, Goddesses. Purity of thought. G o d s of tranquility and enlightenment. M u s k ; The Gods, Lust, M a l e fertility. Strength. The Warrior. A n y male deitvM y r r h : Cleansing, T i e Element of Earth. HoUness. A n y deity. Nutmeg; Luck, Soothing, Strength, Winter. Winter deities. deities.
Love
Orange, Blossom; Goddesses, Rebirth. Spring. A n untradilional scent. Orange, Fruit: Cleansing. Heartiness, Summer. Orange is associated w i t h gods of purity, health and money. Patchouli; Holiness, Inner Peace, The G o d s , Strength- G o o d as a second scent. Peach; Gentleness, Fruition, Love, Soothing, Summer. Peach is an excellent (ruit lor winemaking, and be used in rituals dedicated lo wine gods.
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Peppermint: A n o i n t i n g . Cleansing. The C u d s , Strength. I think i i is impossible tor many of us lo associate peppermint w i t h anything hut candy canes, however, and dnn't recommend ¡1 for any deity. Fine: Cleansing, Consecration of Tools. Defense. Harvest. Heartiness, Winter- Deities of Forests and Ihe seas. Pine, W h i t e : Attunement. Ceremonial States. Element of A i r . Element of Earth, Exorcism, Tenacity. The Gods as a whole. Raspberry: Fertility, I lealth. Soothing. Sustenance. Good hır any w i l d or fruit gods. Rnse, Red: Anointing. F.lement of Water. Fertility, Harvest, Health, Love. Magiek, Romance. Goddess associated with love end riches. Rose, Yellow; A n o i n t i n g , Element of Water, The Goddesses, To Turn jealousy. Lost. You can think of yellow rose. scent as a stmnger version of red roses. If red roses bring, for example, good health, yellow brings great health. 1
Sage: Ancestral Memory. Attunemcnt, Ceremonial Slates. Cleansing, Consecration of tools, Exorcism. H e a l i n g , The Inner Elder, Purity, Magiek. Meditation, W i s d o m . A n y Gilds Of Spirits of the Americas or healing. Saffron: Ancestral Memory. Dreams. Sacrifices, Warmth. Used as a votive offering, as w i t h ginger. Sandalwood: Attunement, A u t u m n , Ceremonial States, Cleansing, Control, Element of A i r . Exorcism. The C o d s . Shielding. Prelection. A very good "basic" scent, not dedicated to any particular deity. Spearmint: Anointing. Cleansing. The Goddesses. Meditation. Strawberry; Ihe Goddesses, Elarvest, Summer, Sustenance. Youth. Another good scent for " w i l d " gods. V a n i l l a : Attunement, Element of Earth. Fertility. Tlic Goddesses, Healing. Another good basic scent that is n o l really affiliated with any one god. Violet; Anointing, G r o w t h . Nobility, Purity. A n y Flower or spring gods. Wisteria: Grace, The Inner C h i l d (feminine"), Maidentu>ud. Purity.
Magickal/Craft Names.
Reborn into a new life, ninny o l us choose a new name, shucking Lhe layers of emotion attached to our " o l d ' " name- For many, lhe craft name is a double identity, a name to go by w h e n sneaking around, anonymous to lhe world- For oihers, the adoption of a craft name, or perhaps the adoption intu a clan. Or coven involves the legal change of their name. Both have their ups and d o w n s . I've always suggested at leasl five years of " t r i a l " before making your name permanent. This is tree lime, the amount of time it takes for the ground to fully accept a newly planted tree- Think of your name l i k e a tree. Does it prosper, root? Is it so difficult to pronounce (hat y o i i need to change it? Does i l need shortening because mispronunciation is driving y o u nuts? M y o w n craft name, Kaatryn is a variation of both Catherine and Kaaterinya, an o l d form of Katerina. YeaiM later, instead of explanation. I usually tell people "fust call me K a t , " because Kaatryn IKahtrin] is automatically mispronounced. Silvercal, reflective of lhe invisible lynx tiiat follows me (no. really, nsk my friends, it steals car keys and anything else I've just picked u p j . was an older craft name, ami " K a t " bas been a compnnnise. Before changing my name. I tenderi to go to extreme lengths to not use my secular name. H o l d i n g b y the bee time rule is difficult, but u n d i my time was u p , I refused to legally change m y name. Changing a name is particularly difficult o n children. Do y o u change a child's name? M y o w n son is constantly called by bis middle name, and I remember being the o n l y one i n my family w i t h m y father's last name and hating it. {I was a little matriarchal as a kid ) For
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years, I waft going to change m y name to my mother's or my greatgrand parents, but 1 always lell that I wasn't "really" a C a m p b e l l , and H I P last thing we need in Wirca is another M o r g a n . M a c M o r g a n in a compromise, a Scottish-Cornish hybrid that sounds traditional. At our tenth anniversary handfasting, m y iover and our son will probably change their last names, but for now. it is their tree time. Variations on names are ethnic and especially effective when paying homage hi a god (dess.) A person may those A p Diana, M a c D i a n a . McDiana, O ' D i a n a . Dianella, Dianan. l i e Diana, De La Diana, Diana I, or A n a i d instead of Diana, or alter the spelling Dyana, or the pronunciation. Dceana. Personalisation is. especially effective in reducing repetitiveness. N o longer can w e just be P h o e n i * or Diana, a profusion of new Paigans with the same names has Created a need fur secondary names and titles, much as population g r o w t h created that need hundreds uf years ago. A return to profession names is common. A lawyer friend ot mine goes b y " M a r i l i a Barrister," a carpenter 1 k n o w has legally changed his last name to Wnodwright. Professional Last names, as well as malrilineal names and altered God/Goddess names are common to the Pagan community, but w e i g h all factors before choosing... do y o u like it? Is it too common? D o t s it feel right? Maybe using a numerological or runic approach could help...explore! Create! Perhaps the most important factor of y o u r new name, second only to your feelings about it. is h o w it really sounds. In retrospect. I never could've been "Sllvercal" and laken myself seriously, the name has more of Marvel comics than Magick about it. One friend likes to put names through tl>e "Doctor-Lawyer test." l i t e Doctor-Lawyer test is just what it seems to be. Imagine you are ill and in need of an operation. . . w o u l d vou want a doctor named "Goodrabbit r i n k i e w i t c h " to work on you? H o w about " G o l d e n E a g l e f m ? " " L a d y Gwenboltom Figittiger?" Likewise, if y o u were sued, and needed to be defended, w o u l d y o u want "Fluffy Whisllestar" to help you? Try to see the name Ls really yours. There is nothing more h u m i l i a t i n g than a name that unexpectedly evokes laughter.
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Likewise, white many pagans use what lire seen by many as Native American names, swiping a name from the real thing because y o u think it's coni is a really degrading w a y In identify voursell. l i k e those television-friendly Native American names, these pagan names are often translations from other languages, w i t h very real meanings, and y o u should k n o w what they mean before y o u use them. 1 cannot stress enough the need to k n o w what y o u are. I don't k n o w about you, b u l l w o u l d probably find it hard to contain m y laughter at a blond haired blue-eyed guy named Spottedpony or a gentle quiet w o m a n named Dionysus LaughingtlulI. Let moderation g u i d e you-
Dedications and Initiations
Perhaps one nl ihe biggest disputes In Wieca. as well as one of the things new Wiocans worry about the most, is the value of a dedication over ,in initiation. A dedication is an often self-performed ritual th.it solidifies ones position as a Wiccan by announcing thai lhat faith is held to the. gods and hi oneself. A n initiation, on the other hand, is a ceremony by w h i c h one is inducted into a tradition or group. Some traditions allow w h a l are called "sell-initintions" but such things usually miss the point of an initiation entirely. M a n y liberal, open, traditions which w o u l d be seen b y few as r i g i d or traditionalist re|ect the idea of s self-initiation. This is not acase of traditional s u p e r i o r i t y - A n initiation is a process that Changes the emuliunal state of a persun entirely, and whether or not it can be performed alone is a genuine concern. In my opinion, self-inillations, miss the enbre point of the process. A n inibation is all about addition to a group. Dedications, on the other hand, a f i i r m y o u r position asa member of your fa i l h - A mem ber of a coven or a large tradition group is well served by having both an initiation and a dedication. A solitary practitioner has no need for an initiation. W h o can, and who cannot, initiate antsther persim is another dispute in the Wiccan community. Some t e i c h that " o n l y a Witch can make a W i t c h , " or that initiations must be performed b y a person w h o was initialed by someone w h o was initialed all the way back to Gerald Gardner or some other founder, real or mythical- U E W leaches that a person w h o is self-dedicated who creates ti coven is capable of initiating members into that coven. We have no strict initiation into the tradition, preferring lhat people dedicate themselves, and a.s a result of
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that, many solitary U E W members have never been initialed, so i i is olten ihe case that people performing art initiation have not been Initiated themselves. We solve thin problem w i t h reciprocal and visiting initia lions. Visiting initiations are just what they seem, initiation by a priest or priestess who is visiting, or Initiation i n t o a tradition by visiting another coven or community. They have their good and bad points. O n one side, lew priests are w i l l i n g to initiate people w h o they have not invested time in. and few people are g o i n g to want to be initiated by priests they don't k n o w {this can be completely different, for example, i n online Wiccan communities, where-a priest may be k n o w n for years without being met olfline). Vet, expertise has its advantages. A n initiation is. essentially, an enactment of a mystery rite, and if the person holding the reigns oi ihe rite has experience with it, there is an undeniable advantage for all parties. When going Ironi solitary to coven, or limited in your trust or contact w i t h other practioners, reciprocal initiations are best. They are just what the name implies; one person in a group initiates another person, then, at a laler date thai person is initiated {initiations should be done one at a time or in pairs). A s with all just things, these are deeply personal decisions, it lakes a certain type o l person to perlorm a rite they've o n l y seen others do, or worse, o n l y read about. A l l of this begs the question of what an initiation entails. A n initiation is, as 1 have stated, an induction i n l o a coven or tradition performed by members of that tradition, but thai is jusl Ihe simplest explanation. Initiations are based In ihe concept of Wicca as a mystery faith, a religion by which one enacts a rite, or a series of rites, |o achieve an end, usually die proper aficrlilc or "oneness" w i t h the divine. Mystery faiths abound around Ihe world and Ihroughoul history, from tile Ancient riles of Eleosis to tile modern Baptisms of the sects of Christianity, so that Wicca is practiced by some as a mystery religion is no surprise. the Wiccan rite of initiation, regardless o l ihe claims of m a n y early authors, is undoubtedly firmly based on Indo-European, and most
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specifically. Greek and Roman, mythology. The rite is an LNI.IL I men I of ihe heroic journey, the descent into llie u n d e r w o r l d , the change by what y o n see there, and the return lo the rpal w o r l d . In mythology, thin descent is often (but not always) literal; Odysseus, Aeneas, and Heracles travel to the underworld and are changed b y what they see there. I n a n initiation, the descent is purely figurative. A s in these myths, the initiation consists of three sections, the descent (or hatabasis], the revelation, and the rebirth into a new life. H o w this initiation is performed can vary wildly, but these three points are always present. To explain how these three things are used in different ways. I'm going to describe three vastly different initiation rituals that really happened. The names, locations, and exact words have been changed out of respect for the people w h o led these initiations, but they all happened. These three initiations can easily be adapted or interpreted into a new initintion without mneh w o r k . Initiation is one of those sticky subjects that are always belter taught by example than discussion. fon-st: A Labyrinth initiation Forest was a latecomer to Wicca. at AS, the oldest person his coven had ever initiated. H e was in good health, but a smoker, and as part o l his initiation, he decided to give up s m o k i n g . Cigarettes, he decided, were not compatible w i t h his new life. The month before his initiation, he quit cold turkey, spending his mornings w a l k i n g along the country road near bis house, picking up the cigarette butts he saw aking Ihe way. One hall-mile Irorn his house, the lorest was blackened front a fire last fall, started by cigarette butts just like these. The liter, which he was disgusted by, and the desecration of the lores! he lelt was (in-part) his, helped h i m through the nicotine cravings- He saw his lire as heading d o w n a black tunnel at this point, and the forthcoming initiation was a light at the end o l the tunnel. O n the night of the new moon, three friends dressed in black arrived at his door, bores! was given a p l a i n white robe and sandals, and told to change-Once he had changed, he was blindfolded, and led
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to a Car. In the back seat, his priest sal beside h i m . and held his hand. His priesl asked h i m several questions: " A r e y o n sure y o u want to become a member of our group? Do y o u have doubt in your hear! about your faith? A r c there any questions, y o u have left?" The ques tions came rapidly, leaving Forest no time to calculate the direction he was going. H e ' d been meeting w i t h these people lor over a year, h o w ever, and l e i ! perfectly safe In a car b e h i n d h i m , he heard ihe noisy muffler of his wife's o w n car. If anything went w r o n g , she w o u l d lake him home, w h i c h had been arranged from the beginning. After about twenty minutes, the cars slopped- H e smelled freshly cut corn and distant cat lie. A l t h o u g h t h e y ' d blindfolded h i m . the time and smells (old h i m was in his o w n priest's cornfield. A l l of his friends hugged h i m , while be was still blindfolded. H e felt off-kilter o n the damp ground i n the soft sandals, but their arms led hint d o w n a slope and into the corn. They slood around h i m in a circle and prayed, his priesl slood before h i m and spoke. " N a t h a n Stanford, son of John and Maureen, husband of Elizabeth who is known to us a s S y l v a . i ather lo Bryan, Melissa and Moira w h o is known to us as A c o r n , you have come before us this day to claim your place as one of the Wicca. and join o u r tribe in the worship of the gods w h o cannot be named. Do y o u come lo this sacred place with an open heart, of your own free w i l l ? " r
"I come hereof m y o w n İrce w i l l , with a n open heart," he answered. "In the time before time, m a n k i n d was lost in darkness," the priest announced, "the tools of knowledge, ingenuity and friendship saved him. and he came into the light. Tonight, N a t h a n , y o u shall be tested, and that test w i l l mark yoo as one of our kind. Take the hand of this w o i n a n " ' a silk gloved, small hand was pkiced in hiS'"she w i l l lead you lo the place of beginnings. There, y o u will lose your name and your way. W l i e n we speak again, y o u shall be one of ua." His friends embraced h i m again, and besiowed blessings and good wishes o n him. Then, Ihe w o m a n in the gloves polled his band and led him forward into ihe moist soil of the cornfield. They w a l k e d for nearly an hour, and every few minutes she spun h i m , until he was
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d i z z y Eind confused. After Et while, she sto|•['•.-. I and pressed h i m to his knees- She spoke in a whisper, making if impossible to tell exactly w h o n l his friends she was, and deliberately affected an arcenl l o hide any familiar cadence. " H e w h o was known as Nathan," she spoke. "1 take your name from you. You may come i o m e and reclaim it ai anytime, and be gone Irom this plate w i t h no claims on you, or y o u may go for w a r d and join your people." She removed Ihe blindfold. "In place of your name I give you three words, and these three words w i l l be your guide if you let them. The words a r e ' W i l l . Love and Self,' a man needs nothing more lo rule the w o r l d , and n o l h i n g Less to nde himself- This is the one truth I share w i t h y o u tonight, and y o u will w i n others. Nov.' rise." She was clad in solid black, w i t h a heavy veil covering her face, she pointed w i t h her gloved hand to a space behind h i m . The corn was cut in irregular lines, and a line of white string ran along the corn, lo either side, marking a path that began behind h i m . "That is the w a y of the labyrinth. It is a twisting, turning path that w i l l lead y o u to your peo ple. Behind me is a straight path that leads to the road. II is marked w i t h a gold string. A t anytime, y o u can return here and I will remove you from this place. A r e y o u ready?" He nodded. She asked h i m , as the priest had, if he d i d this of his o w n free w i l l and with an open heart- H e replied in the affirmative and she gestured for him to begin his jou mey d o w n ihe path. A s he began, she lit a high torch and w a v e d i l in the air, " S h o u l d y o u wish to quit." she said, "break the white string and walk through the Corn lo this torch." He nodded again, and set out along Ihe path. Abnve h i m , clouds wore beginning to gather. He knew. Irom the color of those clouds, that he w o u l d not escape a drenching this n i g h t After about ten minutes of walking, including several dead ends that lurried h i m around, he came into a clearing that had a L l yellow candle on a small folding table. H i s oldest daughter, in a white robe, stood behind Ihe table. "Blessed be your feel, my lalher, thai have brought y o u to this p l a c e You stand to the far east of the labyrinth- The place of beginnings, of
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m e sunrise, and of Ihe air. Please be s t i l l . " She circled around h i m , saying it small prayer and swinging a tenser of deep, earthy incense, " A s yOU are m y beginning, so shall I he yours. Behind me lies another path lo the road. Yoti may turn hack n o w and regain your name or go for¬ w a r d and be b o m anew-Shall y o n continue, or retreat?" "1 w i l l continue." "Then lake this glfi from me," she said, and placed a golden chain w i t h a small pentacle pendant around his neck, " A n d take also Ihe blessings of the air," she kissed him on ihe forehead, and took his h a n d and led h i m l o a yellow siring, which was lied before him and marked out another palh. "II y o n w i l l go forward, unlie this siring and continue. The w h i l e path w i l l disappear behind you. If y o u take this path you cannot l u r n back but to head for the torch. Do y o u u n d e r s t a n d ' " H e nodded and untied the string. After the first turn d o w n the new , he looked back to see his daughter carefully taking up the white string, then he continued d o w n the yelloiv path. A g a i n , he wandered through many t w i s l s a n d turns, and a lew dead ends, before coming to a similar clearing w i t h a folding table a n d a red candle. Starslafl. a member of his coven w h o served as his spokesman {the person w h o promises lo take care of Ihe neophyte and is responsible for that neophyte's behavior) stood behind the table. He drew an Athame , and told Forest to kneel. 1
He stood belorc h i m with the A t h a m i d r a w n and pointed at Forest's h e a d with it. "This is an Athame. it can be used as a weapon, Or it Can be used to bring people together." H e turned it in his hand, and said a prayer before oflering the hilt t o his Iriend. " M a y the gift o l this Athame sever any ties o l discontent between us, and sever y o u from the you that y o u were belorc." He placed a small scabbard with a strap over Forest's shoulder- "Sheathe y o u r Athame and embrace me as your brother and you w i l l pass w i t h ihe blessings of lire. II y o u w o u l d leave, there is a path behind me that w i l l lead y o u to a road and your o l d name. Do v o u wish to leave n o w ? " "No."
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He lead h i m in another tied siring, this tine red. " U n b i n d this siring w i t h die blessings of south and o l fire and go forward toward your new name." T ie hugged his friend and smiled and he nniied the siring and marched forward. A soft rain began l o l a l ! After another series o l twists, turns, and dead ends he came to another clearing. H i s wife stood behind a similar lable and a blue candle. She looked up at the rain, and laughed, and said "truly, the blessings of water are upon y o u ! " She embraced h i m , and drew a sttir o n his forehead w i i h an oiled finger. "Accept ihis blessing, lather of my children, and move forward to a new name or take the paih behind, w h i c h leads to |he road. W i l l y o u continue forward?" "Yup!" She hugged h i m again, and w a l k e d w i t h h i m toward a tied blue string. She held up an old-fashioned canteen, and opened it. "Sip of this w i n e w i i h me before y o u continue." She took a sip. then he d i d . then he poured some into the earth, and she strapped the canteen over his shoulder- "Take this gift lhal y o u may never thirst." He continued through the siring, and another sol of dead ends and confusing I urns, until he reached another clearing, the rain n o w falling steadily. H i s priesl stood there, w i t h another table and a green candle w h i c h he shielded from the rain w i i h a hand. " Y o u have passed and received the blessings of air, fire, and water, and here Island to present y o u the blessings of the earth, and lead y o u i o your new name. H e who-was-Nathan, do you w i s h to continue?" T do " "Then lake this gilt from me," he said, h a n d i n g h i m a loaf of brown bread. " A n d do with i l as you w a n t . " He lore open the brown bread and handed a hunk to his priesl, and cast a piece on Ihe ground- "1 share this g i f l w i t h you and Ihe gods, as 1 share the world w i i h m y people and m y gods. I thank y o u hır ibis blessing, and desire to go forward-l see the path behind y o u , and I refuse i t . " the I'riest nodded. " Y o u have passed this test, and I w i l l lead y o u forward, if that is your w i l l . "
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"It i s . " The priest rook his hand and led h i m along a pain between uncut rOwB i l l corn. Above, ihunder began to crash, and the rain fell very hard. He struggled lo remain standing in the wet soil as he was pulled along. He crashed through the edge of the Held, and someone turned on a huge light, temporarily blinding h i m . H i s friends and family embraced h i m , and his priestess, previously missing, draped a sash over his shoulder. "Blessings be upon y o u Forest and welcome to our circle, within this circle y o u also will becaJled A u t u m n , w h i c h is your secret name among our circle, and is not In be shared w i t h outsiders." Forest then was led into a warm car. toweled off and driven to his priest's house, where they threw his a huge party, giving h i m presents and feasting. A t the end Ol the night, they performed their firsl circle w i t h h i m as a full member of their coven. $tcT>ham'-: A Hm Jı fmruluiii: Stephanie, 22. had come into Wicca from a funda menial ist sect of Christianity. Sile described her former religion as a burden that she still ielt she carried. Estranged from her parents since the age of 16, w h e n she realized she was bisexual. Stephanie felt as though she had no family She had |oined the group she w a s about l o b e initiated into two years prior to the ceremony, but still felt that the religion of her childhood was holding her back. Like most Wicean groups. Iters d i d not rebuke Christ or condemn Christianity, and as Stephanie w o r k e d through her issues with her former faith, she wavered between prac ticing Wicca and practicing a sort of Wicca Flavored Ex-Christianity, where her dedicatitm to the god and goddess was more ahoot shock ing people than what her heart felt. Her priestess was very smart in not initiating her immediately UntU Siepiianie made peace w i t h her fanner faith, site ran Hie risk of boomeranging back to it as soon as she found something to redeem it. If the Wicca she was practicing was allowed to be tainted by her strong anti-Christian bias, and she then returned to Christianity, she could paint all Wiccans as anti-Christian. By w a i t i n g , and helping Stephanie
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OVeffûcne heranger and fears, ihü priestess prevented anctftıef dabbler ironi having the possibility o l becoming a liability to the greater Wiccan community. A s the first slagc o i her initiation, her priestess, w i t h the help o( a liberal Christian minister, performed an exit interview. The priestess and the minister met with ber.it a neutral location, and (hey dlacuased her issues w i t h Christianity. H e r bisexuality was divorced irom her reasons hır leaving Christianity by the presence of a minister whose congregation was "open and affirming." The minister helped to allevi ate the girl's (ears about her parents. They were bad, she decided, because they were not very nice people, not because of their religion. Christianity ceased to be her reason to be Wiccan and became a nonissue for her. With the priestess' permission, the minister genlly tried to explain Christianity i n terms the girl d i d not have issues with. Eventually, she decided that the concepts of salvation and sin were too foreign to her experiences w i t h the d i v i n e to make Christianity an option. She felt ready to join the Wiccan group as a Wiccan, instead of as an ex-Christian. The second stage of her initiation consisted of a research project regarding the various traditions of Wicca. She osed the nel and Ihe coven's collection of books to determine whether or not she wanted to wanted lo join the group. She compared the coven's suggested books with those she enjoyed, and researched w h y Hie coven was so very against one writer she enjoyed. H e r priestess arranged for her to meet w i t h a coven of another tradition and compare it, and to speak with some former members of the group w h o had left for others. It was explained to her that membership in this coven required community service, and a large selection o i work, as well as a dedication to the group's slated purposes- Stephanie l u r n e d the project into a letter lo the coven thai explained why site wanted to join and Iter dedication lo the group. O n her 22nd birthday, Stephanie passed o n the typical birthday party and d r i n k i n g lest, and instead attended a lairly solemn cere mony a l her priestess' house. O f the 2(1 people she'd been performing
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rituals with, only S, the initialed long-terni members, were allowed hi attend the rite itseli. The ceremony began w i t h the casting o l the circle around her, an she stood still and quiet contemplating [he seriousness o l the moment. Once the circle was cast, her priestess stood betöre her w i t h a ball o l line iwine. H e r priestess handed her the end of the ball of twine, and began to walk around her with it. binding her in it. "This twine is all that has hampered y o u i n the your anger, your hatred." the Priestess passed the ball lo another member. around her. entwining her, 'Tt does no good to ignore things thai bind you. TO do thai is to lot thorn control
past. Your fears, H e . too. walked these fears, these you."
Yet another member took up the ball. " L i k e this string these things w i l l n o l go away because y o u ignore them, and y o u can strain against them, but together they are too strong to break. It is not the haired and anger that are too moch to handle, it is the collection of them." A fourth member took up the ball, and w o u n d the last o l it around her- H e r arms and legs were held immobile against her body. "Stephaniu. these bonds are not impossible- to break. These knots that I a i d * to you are not Impossible to untie- You needn't be Hotidini to gel out. In fact, if y o u strain now, the string w i l l break, b u l if y o u strain against them you may be burned by the twine, so 1 ask that y o u stay awhile within them, and listen." The other four members of the group lifted drums from the floor and began a heartbeat rhythm; Stephanie rlosed her eyes and inhaled the sandalwood scented air deeply. The priestess read a version of the descent of Persephone into the underworld, and then stood before Stephanie with an Athame. "This Is a symbol of Wicea, it binds us together oven as it cuts." She handed the blade to Stephanie. "The Blade is a tool. Wicea is a tool. You have sought tit use that tool to remove the bonds of hatred and anger, so use the tool, and cut the string." A s Stephanie removed the string, the priestess continued, "But w h e n the s b i n g is removed, the knife r e m a i n s - U s i n g the tool to cut the
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bonds, is a Valid use, b u l ü i» not enough tu keep die hırıl.. .Stephanie, w h y do you seek lo join our family?" "I love m y gods. I seek lo become closer to them, to heller hear their voices." "That is an admirable reason to lollow Wicea, but w h y as a pari o l Green Gables C o v e n ? " "Because this is my family, and I help ihem. and they help me." The priestess lifted up the broken strings and threw them into a pot o l slicks and herbs lor burning in the bonfire alter the ritual. " Y o u stand before me unhindered, unbound, free o l the anger and hatred thai hold you before, joining a coven, a n d following a tradition is accepting another bond. This arm ring symbolizes thai bond- Belore 1 put it o n y o u . I must k n o w thai y o u go forward in this of a free w i l l . Is it your w i l l to join this coven?" "Yes" The roles of the coven were then read. Stephanie agreed to each rule as they were read. Most of them were c o m m o n sense, such as agreeing to not out members of die coven w h o were in the closel. and some of them, such as the rule that the one holding a gathering was not respon sible for providing food, were almost silly, bot she agreed to them a l l . A copy of the rules was provided, and she signed Ihem, as well as adding her name to those of the coven in Iheir collective book of shad ows underneath the same rules. H e r priestess affined the armband and embraced her. " N o w . as a full fledged member of our Coven. I lea™ it to y o u hi open the circle." Stephanie performed the ritual to open the circle, and the nine of them walked downstairs, where lite rest of the coven leapt up and threw Stephanie a surprise party. Floru. A traditional initiationIS, small boned, blond haired, and blue eyed. Flora was a new comer to lier coven, but she knew it was for her. She had read many books on Wicea, and after finding a link fo the homepage of Craystone
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Covenstead 1H1 a weJl-mOWfi n e t w o r k i n g site, she knew ihe group was what she wanied. The group was an eclectic Wlccan group w l f h rituals based i n , but not a part of, British Traditional W i r r a . H e r initiation was performed skyclad. In ihe first part, her hands were ritualist!' caliy bound behind her hack, using an intricate knot structure, and a blindfold placed over her eyes. She h a d been told o l these steps, agreed to them, and was prepared for thentFirst s h t was led, by a hand o n h t r shoulder, to the east of the darkened room, let within a previously cast circle by her priestess. She smelled dragon's blood and mace incense (dragon's blond is the spicy scented resin of several plants, mace is the outer hull of nutmeg), and burning pine- A member of her coven passed a w i l l o w w a n d around her, followed by a bundle o l burning herbs and incense. "For I am the Guardian of air," the coven member read, " A i r that Irees die spiril. air that speeds OUT prayers |o heaven, air thai surrounds us unseen but felt as the love of the gods, and as that love does, fills us up and gives us life. T h e a i r is brought Irom the path of theeast-the place o l sunrises and beginnings. Flora. I greet y o u as the guardian of the air and watcher of the west, and give you the first of your names in this group. You are Flora of the C l a n Silverwing. and I greet y o u as m y sister in faith and name. Silverwing clan is dedicated to the protection of Wicca from those w h o w o u l d do it harm. VUeare the security at public events, and each of us is trained as a medic and press person, and stands at the side of protests and gatherings, ready to help. In your secular life, y o u are an FmergenCy M e d i c a l Technician, a n d I understand that this is one of ihe reasons you've chosen S i l v e r w i n g , even though y o u are a very slight woman, and we welcome you even though our clan leader, Marcus, could lif I y o u up w i t h one hand." The coven member kissed her on the cheeks and forehead, and then she was lead to the south, where more he-rbs were burning. A w a r m , but not hot, blade was pressed into her against her heart, not piercing her skin, jusl a w a r m t h that seemed to spread outward through her body. "For 1 am the Guardian of fire," said another coven member, "Fire that tempers our inner strength, that purifies our souls, fire that
b u m s w i l b i n us like the spark of Zeus staler! by Prometheus, fire we feel lis the heat of o u r blood or the spark that leaps around i n our brain. The Fire is the Path of the suuth, south where the heat comes from, where the heavy pregnant w i n d s h r l n g testing and strife, but brings strength and purity to those that s u r v i v e them. Flora, 1 greet you as guardian of the south and keeper of the sacred fire, and give you die second of your names in our g r o u p . You are Flora, follower of I lephaestos and Aphrodite, of C l a n S i l v e r w i n g . " H e placed a necklace around her neck w i t h a miniature hammer and a Venus symbol. "These are the marks of the gods y o u c l a i m as your o w n , and 1 place these symbols upon you in the earnest bel icl that y o u will not act in a way that defames them. A s a follower of Hephaestos myself, I greet you as m y sister and welcome yoo to stand beside me in the circle." The coven member kissed her o n her head and cheeks, then drew a pentagram on her forehead with cooled ashes from his forge and embraced her. She was then led to the west, where she smclled cool salt water and felt a gentle breeze from the fountain that graced that comer of the room. A goblet of cool water was pressed to her lips and she drank deeply "For 1 am the g u a r d i a n of water," another coven member began, "Water that quenches our thirst, water that is the bulk of o u r flesh, water that is the source of life itself, from which w e all sprang. The water is brought from the path of the west, the path of endings, for though we spring from waler, so w e return to water. Flora, 1 greet y o u as guardian of the west a n d keeper of the waters, and give you the third of your names i n our group. You am Flora, follower of Hephaestos and Aphrodite, of Clan S i l v e r w i n g , w h o Is k n o w n as Plana in our group. You have sipped from the chalice of the waters, may it strengthen y o u and fill y o u up. M a y your waters and our waters be one." The coven member kissed her on the bead and cheeks and then lightly brushed scented oil o n her navel a n d her shoulders, making the three points of a triangle. She was then led to the north, where she smelled fresh earth. Hearty, moist bread w a s held to her mouth and she ate i t "For l a m the guardian of earth,"" yet another covener began.
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"Earth that grounds us. that is the fert ile soil in w hi d i our ideals take font, Earth which supports us in ail things. The oath o l the Earth comes from the north, the path o l the cool w i n d s that bring an end to the sweltering summer and encase us in freezing snow, the w i n d s that can bring comfort or death- Flora. 1 greet y o n as guardian of the north and walker o n the earth, and give y o u die last of lite names in your group, y o n are Flora, follower of Hephaestos and Aphrodite, of Clan Silverwing, w h o is k n o w n as Plana of Graystone coven. M a y you be ever grounded i n faith and the brother and sisterhood of your friends." She was led to the center of the circle. The katabasis story of the coven gods was spoken by the coven bard. It rang i n her ears- W h e n she reached the point where the goddess was scourged, a Coven mem ber scourged her as well, although it was more of a symbolic scourg ing than anything else, the device made of soft turned leather. "We suffer that w e may learn/' said the coven bard. " K n o w this: The life w e have given us is not promised to be free of pain, but just as She grew stronger from her hardship, so will y o u g r o w stronger w i t h the trials you suffer in iife-the disappointments, the disparities, these are tools you will use to make yoursel f stronger. " She was then led back to the east. The blindfold was removed, and she stood before the high priestess of the ccwen, an older w o m a n she'd met only in pre initialı.n•. meetings. "This is our high priestess/ said the coven bard, "She speaks n o w as was done before in the voice of the Goddess, though she, as V O L , is human." " H e a r now the words of the great mother." began the priestess, reciting the charge of the Goddess as written b v Doreen Valienfe. Flora stood silently and let the words wash over her. struck by the light that seemed to emanate i r o m the face of the priestess, or maybe the moon i n the Large w i n d o w behind her. When the priestess was done, she asked Flora to recite the rules of the coven. The priest brought a large book forth, and she signed beside the other names of those w h o had accented the Coven rules.
Her hands were u n b o u n d . a n d a gublet ol w i n e was pressed hi her lips. She accepted ihe wine w i t h rehearsed w o r d s , which seemed lo mean more now than before. A robe was brought to her, a soft silvery material w i t h embroidery made by her coven mates, and she put it on as the coven gathered to sing and dance t o celebrate her initiation.
Operative and Ritual Witchcraft
Operative and Ritual Witchcraft Margaret Murray, the much maligned a n d often scholastic-ally challenged author of TTic Witch-Cult bt Western Europe. made .1 distinelion between Rilual Witchcraft and Operative WitchcrafI. a distinction often lust on newcomers to Wicca. Operative Witch cm ft, w h i c h Wicca is not. is the practice of spells, chants, curses, charms and the like, w i t h the intention of altering the external universe. Rilual Witchcraft, of w h i c h Wicea is but one form, is the practice of prayer, ritual, mass and similar rites w i t h the belief that said rites either bring one closer to Ihe gods, benefit the gods i n some way, or otherwise alter ihe d i v i n e / h u m a n relationship. M o s l groops that fit under the rubric of religion i n our internal dictionaries are what M u r r a y w o u l d call R i l u a l Witchcraft, so the use of the term is somewhat nonsensical, and I prefer tbe generic term "religion," itself. Thai being said, 1 hope it is clear thai a group lha! practices " R i t u a l Witchcrafl" is not necessarily a group of Wilches. J think few of us w o u l d call Catholics or Baptists wilches. and some Familial Magickal Traditions are outright opposed to the term preferring Kenner. Pel I a r. Sorcere, He&en anil hundreds of olher terms. This distinction-operative versus ritual-Is problematic above a n d beyond the terminology, because for the religious person, and historically, magick and religion is not easily separated. So 1 intend to attempt this distinction i n a w a y that makes it clear lo even the least experienced among us. and I humbly beg yuur forgiveness if 1 over-clarify.
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Perhaps the distinction between operative and rilu.il witchcraft is easily enough observed in the two most basic o l forms, the spell and the prayer. The spell, which is operative wilchcTafl, may consist, for exam ple, of bathing in an appropriate stream, grinding stones into powder and reciting a complex chant w i t h the purpose of opening a hole in the fabric of space time and moving Into a different plane of existence. You can believe, or not, in the results of this activity, but it's a spell regard less. A prayer, on the other hand, may be nothing more than a conversa tion w i t h god, a song, or a cry out for help to the universe at large. A n e-ample of a spell of a type that no Wiccan w o u l d do as a part of their religious practice is this, the "charm of love" from the G r i m o i r c of a friend: "Speak ye not for three and ten hours no sound, no Cough. If ve cough, ye must begin again the spell o n the nest morn. Whilst thou sit silent, d r a w in chalk upon the floor ten circles twice, in powder that drips trom the hand. Then bathe in the water of a stream that moves, and return to the circle, hair unbound. Walk the circle twenty times, ye feet sliali alter the circles. Tlıeıi draw back the power seven times. Within the circle draw the symbol of the ancestors in salt and the s y m bol of your house in lime. Walk the symbols twice for each time your heart has broken, then stand in the center. Plait thy hair in the sign of mourning, and cover your head with a black veil. When thy time to speak comes, cry the low mourning cry that brings the attention of all to thee-cut thy plait and cry unto the waler, "I m o u r n with no love! Scream to the heavens end this injustice! By the bkiod of the — * that runs in m y veins, and the knowledge of m y gods, m y w i l l and m y , I call upon all that is to end my suffering and bring m y Lnve to mei I compel thee, powers of A l l , do m y W i l l this nighti" m
f
A s y o u can see, this is not free from religious language, even though it is not a religious action. This is the cause of a lot of confusion as to w h y magick and religion are not really the s a m e Magick, defined by the spell above requires knowledge of w h o y o u are-a definition of self. We define ourselves by basic principles-our parentage, our culluie.
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relationships. • I our faitln. '• I •. k requ ires, i n order to be effective, a statement of w h o y o u are and w h y this matters. A l a moment of utterly weak faith and magick. I once went lo a young mage of a Pam-rrad 1 should by all respects despise, and he, perhaps most generously, fthough at the time I was furious! took one look al me, and said, " Y o u don't know w h o y o u are! You're just moving from significant emodonai event to significant emotional event and 1 w o n ' l be a part of it!" and promptly d r o p p e d me on my head {metaphorically} and walked out of the room. Recalling the moment brings a blush to m y face (I was young and stupid but neither young enough nor stupid enough to use that as an excuse}, but serves as a good reminder of the basic principle o l m a g i e k - ' y o u can't do anything unless you know why- You can't know w h y unless y o u know who, and y o u can't k n o w w h o unless y o u alone are responsible lor yourself." :
1 laving read All One Wircn up to this point, Ihis should sound familiar. O u r religion, Wicca, teaches that v o n alone are responsible for yourself and teaches you to embrace it- A g a i n , magick and religion here interseet-Wicca teaches " k n o w t h y s e l f and in order to do nearly every form of magick y o u need to k n o w yourself. The logical conund r u m begins when y o u assume that sincej Wicca teaches " k n o w thyself" and magick requires that y o u " k n o w yourself" Wicca must be magick or a teaching system for magickChristianity, Judaism, Hellenic Kccoristructionism and a thousand other faiths, large and small, all teach that knowledge of self is preferable to a lack thereof-and none of them are magick unto themselves. Just because a faith gives y o u a tool that magick uses does not make magick a faith nor faith a magick. This is especially confusing when y o u combine this idea w i d i the metaphor of l i v i n g m a g i c k a l l y . . . I f we see everything as magickal and magick i n everything, as some religions instruct, it is difficult to separate magick from religion. We make this separation, however, to remove the concepl dial Wicca is about changing the color or yOul eyes, or fighting vampires, or whatever H o l l y w o o d creates n o d week.
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L e t ' i f f i t L i P in OllI F M T mage, above, i n v o k i n g the powers of all lo do her bidding. A clue w i t h i n Ihe spell that it is not a prayer is just thnt-that they do 1İFP bidding. N o t thai nil mages use- such terminol ogy, sometimes It is " m a y my will and thy "will bo done" or " i f it be thy w i l l , let it be so," depending on the level of faith a mage has and the belief in the effects of hubris, a mage can g o from demanding it be so to asking politely that the gods allow it to happen, ft is considered bad form, however, hi take a spell, w h i c h is an attempt to work the powers of the universe to your advantage, and attach a spoken modifier to it to make if comply with your religion- Saying "That it harm none" at the end of your spell, as many newbie Wieean mages d o , is considered an affront both in magick and Wicca-in magick because you are limit ing the power of magick and in Wicca because it says that y o u have not researched your action enough to d o i t . I cannot say enough that casting a spell is not like using a wish in a role playing gamc-vour words and intent w i l l not be twisted, and no special phrase w i l l make a spell that docs harm do good. Mages say of this "hamı nolle disclaimer": " W o u l d y i m point a gun at a head., say " a n i l harm none" and fire, expecting it to magically misfire?" Wiccans are similarly miffed at disclaiming, saying "If I punched you and said " m a y m y action not harm y o u " w o u l d it make me not responsible if you were hurt? Our f'MT declares why her spell should work, w i t h no disclaimersit is the blood of her family, a well known Welsh clan here omitted in compliance with her wishes, her knowledge, her w i l l and her gods-she knows the complete effects of her spell, she does not say how it should not work, because she knows h o w it s h o u l d w o r k . I ler religion is only brought up because it is part of her identity, and it is the power of her identity that compels the "powers of A l l " t o do her biddingIdentity is important to Operadve Witchcraft. A "Witch-doctor" might begin his activities by saying " l a m So and So. son of so and so, of the clan such and such, dedicant of Blah, G\>d of Whatever, k n o w n to mankind as bred, known to the G o d s a s ) o e . ' or whatever his clan or tradidon requires. In ritual witchcraft, the identity of seif is pushed r
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away. We LnOW who we act because imr faith says we should b u i w i t h i n the ritual circle, w e push away from our identity in pure prayer, moving from the sell-based realm of Operative Witchcraft and into a mora sell-loss, humble sublimation of self hctore the gods. Just as the level o f compulsion varies i n the operative circle, w i t h some mages, declaring " d o it because I said s o " and others declaring " D o it if it is okay w i t h the gods," the level of humility varies i n the ritual circle, from the 'gods as friends w h o d o favors' of some traditions to the 'gods w h o smite hubris' of others. W h a t follows is a non-Wiccan example of Ritual Witchcraft, an invocation to A p o l l o to show the answer to a difficult question. It has much i n common with the Invocation of the A l l given above, hut the speaker's relationship to a pantheon that not only hates hubris but coined the term, shows clearly. After making an anonymous donation lo the care ofa site sacred to Apollo, lire lomnan bums cakes of barley and laurel leari-s upon a small brazier in a sanctified arm*. Coivring her trend and bmin£ upon the ground, she speats; "Far-seeing one, who sf vaks to my son/. I come to you in ihe greatest of need. Iiiiviitg iriid all options i set to lielp myself, i am loied by lioo men lelia wilt not share me but who my heart seesas eanal-ifiibeyortr Wilt, let uonr ruollew Sight pour into int. expanding me until i understand what is to be done. I accept gladlu the ritrreVn of the seeing and all that it entail!. If \tou ieill not help, think kindly on me ncnctltetess and forgiiv the imposition. Great one! I beg of you your help in what ever form it comes! Lord of mv heart, lielp met" We see here a distinct difference-instead of d o i n g things to m a n i p u late the attention o f the gods, she does what she feels will please her god a n d bring his positive attention lo her plight. She is not just respectful, but attempts to t u m any anger her god m a y feel at the imposition away trom her. Unlike the mage, whocMpecls lo get what she deserves because she has said so, this woman is a suppliant, hoping for assistance but understanding Ibat it may not be a part of her patron's plan for her. Wicca. properly practiced, is much closer to the prayer to A p o l l o , above, than the example of Operative Witchcraft before it. Some Wiccans practice both, but more and more Wiccans are following a
Kaalryn MacMargan
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path pf pure faith instead ûf a pdth of spslls and manipulations. Fur many Wiccans, a balance is struck by practicing secular magick and removing pure magickal elements from their practice oF the Wiccan faith, for others. Operative Witchcraft Ls just ona more tool of ritual. A t its-heart it is easiest to think of Wicca as o n e form of Ritual Witchcraft, like all religions, tint does not prohibit Operative Witelieraft, as marly other religions d o .
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Book Three:
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The following is a compilation o l rituals donated by ihe various covens, of Universal heleede Wicca. By no means are they run o n l y rituals, nor are the concepts completely original. They are here as suggestions, as emergency rituals, and as exnmples. Out nf professional courtesy and where possible, the C o v e n or person w h o created the itufll has been mentioned. Many oE these rituals were especially created lor this work, and all o l the information within those ritual* is contained herein, any unusual terms have been described in the dictionary that follows, or die self-explanatory. A note for our Internet friends. Heme do not violate Hie copyright of our authors bu reprinting these rituals, without permission- on your website. Mani/ of these are available onlirur through Ihe URLs viz<en In lite Internet Resource Guide at the end of this booh. You do not need permission to Huh to lite rituals. 1. The Universal Eclecdc W k c a Self-Dedication 2. Casting a Circle 3. Cakes and A l e 4. C l o s i n g the Circle 5. Full M o o n Kite w i t h D r a w i n g D o w n 6. Equinox Rituals 7. Solstice Rituals 8. Beltane 9. Lughnasa lu.Samhain 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16-
lmbolc A Pagan Thanksgiving: "binal leasl" Funeral Rite Hand fasting I Handfasting II Healing Ceremony for abuse survivors
Kıralryr Mai Morgan
17. 18. 19. 20. 21.
Tools. Runes ur Tarut deck consecrat ion Stress relieving ceremony, Solitary Clalh Signing ceremony for Ihe Second Circle Land dedication Dedication Eor coven members
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1 The Self-Dedication of Universal Eclectic Wicca
A u t h o r A n o n y m o u s Solitary Usage: U p o n achieving tfiu First Circle, the W İ L L , 1 I I uses tiiis ttath lo dedicate himself to the craft Then? is no need lor an initiation w i t h this ritual under -.onr helt. Appropriate Day/Nigh I: A n y holiday the W k c a n ' s Birthday, Full m o o n or when needed- Preferably at d a w n . Requirement*: A purifying bath, a pontacle on a string o r a ncLHacc. r i n g or similar thing. This can be done w i t h i n a cast circle or m i l . First purily your body w i t h a hath or shower, concentrating on putting the past behind you. Stand firm to the ground, holding t h e penlarle i n holh hands and showing it to the sun. S am "your name." I have been sltown the live Points and the tVruy, and choose loiioebw life by the Whtau Reite and the Greater Law it r r p F i r t n i t s . in my hand I hold the penlade, symbol of the Elemen!*. Earth-Air. Fin:, Water and Spirit. Firie iorr's t haue been slwnrn, and bı> tire. Fore i choose to live. Jam aware of mv anions and I take responsibility lot ivbai I've done and what t slıatl do. {Optional: "To sliow Ibis now I hare taken a nrw name. , lohich Is what i sltall be named in Tl/e eyes of the Geii^-and wherever else your name will be used, i n c l u d i n g ~ln the eyes of the
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Wicca," etc.) Henceforth, lonr no bjng/r "rutnre" i am "Nameor craft name of The Wicca So Mate it tie! I consecrate this penlacle with the poioer of Tiir Sjjrr the lUddm Moon, and don it knowing the value and depth of it's meaning. Blessed be the Lord and Lady! iPiits p e n l f l d e o n J N n c rny dedication is complete- and the paths an many and varied before nte. May I g& and ¡roía with happiness and the power of the love of the Gods. So Mole It Be'.
2 Casting a Circle
A u t h o r Arising Cover! Usage: Elaborate Circle or Temple Rile for the Sabbats of a covert, can be altered to a single individual. This is a Fairly traditional circle, w i t b some artistic embellishments, and much of the w o r d i n g is from The Silver Chalice Community, a very structured Wiccan group that disbanded around 1490 into the six prime covens o l Universal Eclectic Wicca. A l t h o u g h considered a little o l d fashioned by most of us {Tumryn's parody of this rite is a Fairly infamous occurrence o n Beltane) w e somehow stick w i t h it, flaws and all. out of a feeling of " o w i n g " it to our founders- A chalk d r a w i n g of the circle around which representations of the quarters are made is a nice touch to this, and the d r a w n chalk d r a w n circle usually includes not one. but three circles, just under a foot apart. Your Circle s h o u l d be decided by group tradition and Book o l Shadows, of course, this is merely an example. A much simpler rite is given in the first part of this book. Appropriate Day/Night: A n y Requirements: Athame, Bell, Chalice. Four Quarter candles. Solar Candle (lighter). C o d and Goddess candles. Salt. Incense. Water, stuff for cakes and ale. A n y O d i e r Ritual gear w a n t e d . This ritual begins w i t h the entire group- standing in a circle a small fire or candle is b u r n i n g o n the altar. There should be at least four
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people, plus a Coven leader. A bell is rung three limes by the leader at the altar. (S)He lights the solar candle Irotn the altar flame. "Kindle this flame from tire fire of the San. Tlie bolt has been rang the Circle begun." {At the C o m m u n i t y a dame w o u l d be lit from the first rays of the sun and kept b u r n i n g until the ritual took place that evening, although " l i k e " easily replaces "from".) The coven leader then holds the flame east' w a r d , "Firs! in the East, so to the Easl we ore /frsi, lighting the flame tike tlte sun lights the Earth." The Candle is passed to a person ivho stands at the hast, this person should be a very " a i r " aligned person, or anyone w h o feels drawn thai w a y The East person lights the Yellow candle, saying something about the East, the A i r , the sunrise, or whatever, e n d i n g w i t h "so mole it be/' repeated by the coven- (We refrain from the use of defined statements because they become more boring w i t h repetition.) The leader then laikes the lighter candle from them and w a l k s clockwise, reaching the smith, {s)he hands the lighter candle to ihe quarter guard there, saying. "Fire of Fires, far to the south. The Fire is bright light casts away doubt." The Quarter guard makes his/her statement, and then the leader brings the flame to the west. 'Ocean. Sea. fttttf, Fond, lake stream arid brook, erer flowing be the loafer. first home that we took." (This represents the Silver Chalice C o m m u n i t y ' s strong sense o l evolutionary science, and may be changed if found offensive for some season.) The quarterguard speaks ending with "so mot* it be." and is echoed, and the leader continues. "Grounded in Earth, uv rose to touch the air. Blessed be the Earth, saered Mather. eUerfair." The Quarterguard says his/her thing, then the priestess w a l k s clockwise to the altar, h o l d i n g the lighter candle aloft. {s)he raises the snlar candle and that w h i c h represents the moon. "As the Sun lights the moon, so light, that Ihe heavens shine" and lights the lunar candle, facing East. The two candles are set d o w n in holders, next to two u n l i l candles representing the G o d and Goddess. The Censer, w h i c h sits to the east next to the quarter candle is held up by the quarterguard of the East while the quarterguard uf the South holds up a small d r y branch lit from the South candle. This firebrand is called "the sacred w a n d . " A t the same time. The quarterguard of
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ihe West held', u p ., goblet o l water ,irid i h e guard of i h e N o r t h holds up a dish o l salt. The following two sections are performed in synch and limed rnrrertiy, are heRuiiful expressionsbasl-Soudi West-North East "As the sun lights the south and West "As the weft maters come and greets the Eastmeet the North A anion. A bond is farmed A gaih'ring. a bond is farmed United, in Love, the fire meets- the air As one. Together this salt, this muter (The Incense is raised to the d o w n poinlcd (3 measures: or salt ,ire firebrand encasing it. A s the incense lights, added to the water on the p o i m of an the firebrand is quenched) Alhame) Air into fire Fjirth into water Woman to Man Man to Woman TJial ail may be joined Tiiat alt may Iv joined One with the Earth... .. .One with the Air... ...One with Hie Water... ...One mth the Fire. In l o v e a n d worship in thiscircletonight In Inve and worship in this circle tonight South: Nolo in love. Welcome
N o r t h : Were in Love. Welcome.
Ail who would join our circte in Love...
.. .in light..
.. In truth
...In harmony.
WekoPie Lord and Lady.
Welcome Goddess and God'.
Witness our revels, our worship, our tone
A ml watch ooer our circle tonight.
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With purest Air. Wis welcome yCUİ (South walks around ihe circle thrice, censing Hie air. Wlien fimslied. Hie censer is iaid on the altar and North Ivgins..!
With purest water. We welconv pout (North sprinktes the salted water ahead the circle thrice--J The tools are placed o n the alEai acid the priestess Ii-.: :- the G o d and Goddess candles from the lunar/solar ones, "welcome great ones, who lOOtdd lioar us this ßnr night narr Bf begin Hie change, the alteration of this space, mau all who stand purified loiihin who feel in their lieart that they cannot worsJdp iuflfjfrr feel free to leave-' A moment of space, ihen ihe C o v e n sword oc Athame Is lifted from, the altar. The leader walks around from ihe tası, behind the ring of coveners, bul within the ring o l candles fs)he points the coven sword at the floor, and walks around clockwise once, forming a line just beyond the candles, ü n c e fs)he returns to the East, she faces westward, w i t h i n the circle- "Abandon yüjjr rrctfrtJii'c energies, let thtni bum into tile pure air of the circle. Pain Begone! Hatred Begone! Fear Begone! Only Love is Welcome here'." She travels around once more, again shipping ail the East. "Welcome the pos itive. Love, light and peace, breathe In ihe light, iianish ihe darkness!" she travels once more, stopping at the east and walking forward to the Altar. L a y i n g d o w n tlie sword, she slops into the circle, where all join hands. "Blessed are ah wS'o inhabit this space, in welcome, in love, in lightin truth. I spadi the words of those who hoot: gone before. 'Lei peace reign supreme, unity, strength and Love in The All. Our Selves, our Gods be blessed, for here is our temple, our church and sacred site, here is the founda tion upon which we bnlldour rites.' Welcomefriends, spirits, gods, those u
Kaalryi MaeMorgan 261 ana" iove of till will/in. this circle is cusi. tkd£ rile ntuy begin...So mole it be'.~ the coven repeals "so mote it be!" The beauty of this circle involves, i n some degree, ils complexity, which is w h y this circle which Is said t o ' T u l l o u i all ihe slops"," makes a wonderful opening for a Sabbat rite, and a kind of clunky rite for minor riiuak. Trimmed d o w n . II h a good functional ritual, and docs hold most of the elements required of various traditions. Experiment!
3
Cakes and Ale
A u t h o r Kaatryn M a c M o r g a n Usage Celebratory bll used within, ritual, this one was written lor this Book of Light, specifically Traditionally, cnveners " A " and " B " would bcquarterguards Irorn the above ritual, but this, can be reduced, w i t h a little juggling, to solitary practice. Appropriate Day/Night: Within any ritual Requirements: A small dish o l cakes, biscuits, cookies, especially the Pentacle variations of Full M o o n Ctinkles under Lunar recipes in Book Three. A Goblet or Llecanler of w i n e or Iruit juice. A note on properly d r i n k i n g from a shared goblet: A few s i m p l e rules. S i , if y o u are sick, abstain. #2: don't backwash, that is. don't a l l o w wine that lias entered your mouth to return to the goblet. #3; U s e only those substances that have alcohol (and thus slightly antiseptic) properties. #4: Clean the r i m o l the glass w i t h a cloth d i p p e d In r u b b i n g alcohol. The leader rings a bell or otherwise calls lor a ttention. T w o rnveners step forward. Leader: "Now is the time for the symbolic feast?, the representation of all lliat me eat and drink, alt thai sustains as. What we ingest here is not mere "wine" and "cakes" (insert appropriate label of food and drink,) but a small pari of the whote that is the bounty we are given by our Gods"
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C u v m e i A : (Holding goblet of Wine.) "Behatd! The bounty of the Goddess and God'. Drink of the Fruit which gives life'. Thai we may share in tlieir sustenance and share in their ijiup.l For the lord and iadyl" fa small amount is poured Into, ground or libation dish) "So mole it be'." Covener A then toasts his/her patron arnd matron, before sipping, this short prayer/blessing should bo personal,, and may be unspoken. It goes around clockwise, then covener B rises w i t h a plate of cakes. "Behold . The Bounty of the Lord and Lady! Fat of the Grain which sustains ust That alt may never go without sustenance and love! For the 1
Gods! [A small amount is added to the pool of wine or upon the Libation dish) So mole it bef~ The Food is passed just as the wine was before, w h e n it has completed the Circle, the leader speaks. " A s we share in this feast, let us ren\ember those uiio could not feast before our Gads without fear of destruction and cruelly'. Let ua remember the persecuted, the executed aiul tlw.frightened. All are welcome irorewhocouwis a spirit of peace and love! So mote it be!" (A moment of silence...then die Circle is closed or other matters brought to discussion. Cakes and Ale should happen after all elements have been taken care of, as a prologue to d o s i n g the circle, but a small discussion of events, etc., is appropriate during cakes and ale. A larger feast afterward m a y be blessed with a rite similar to die binal feasl rite, outside die circle.).
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Closing the Circle
A u t h o r Arising Coven Usage: To E n d the ritual Appropriate Day/Night: Whenever. Requirements: The four quarter candles. If desired, a candle snuffer (some trads don't approve of " b l o w i n g o u t " candles.) The G o d and Goddess Candles. Leader: "We met this day/night in love and peace, and oni rite was blessed b\i tire ligld of all within this circle. May itte goodness, energy and ligld within he reflected in our litvs without Blessed be the Lord and Lady, in alt Uur ways they were reflected tonight, as hope, as promise, as healing and as the sacred mother and father to whom we owe our existence." East: T r o w IheEast we were granted air. and the first rays of the su-n. from tire east came light, ami from there is slrall return.' (situff candle) South: "Holy fire from the south cleansed and tempered us. to there tel the fires return." (snuff) West: "Water thai is life, brought from the west to nurture, cleanse and uplift, to Hv west return." (snuff) N o r t h : "Earth, from w h i c h w e came, housed in the North, to the N o r t h return." (snuff) Leader: " L o r d and Lady, sacred parents, sacred lovers, sacred children, may your light grow ever stronger, lifted. Into the heavens as moon
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arid s u n and reflected i n the eyes uf dil w h o C M gaje skyward with the light o l the Law w i t h i n them." (candles snuffed) " N o w is our rite complete, M a y the circle he. open, hut ever unbroken!" r
5
Full Moon Rite with Drawing Down
A u t h o r Bell and Bell l o w e r Cuvem, Usage: Jo celebrate the hull M o o n Appropriate Day/Night: Might of the Full moon, preferably when the moon is low o n the horizon to the east. R e q u i r e m e n t A large round candle o r " m o o n " candle, standard gearCast the Circle. Priest (or covener not d o i n g Ihe d r a w i n g down): "Blessed Lady of the night, she wlra is called Selefte(iusert a preferred fail moon goddess, if desired}, full with low and the power of awmerrr, we stand before you at the cusp. Hur changing, the end of a cycle and ihe beginning of a new- For several days we lunv fell you gathering your power that you might shine so full nnd so bright upon this sacred night. Oh, she zvho banisites darkrxss. shine Ihrougli the darkness thai we never need fear the night." "Ju dir.- of out. meeting in seem, those who itvt\t tieforr uvula raise tlwlr curs M you witb the promise thııt one day tire secrets would be uimeeded. We raise oar eyes to you in fulfillment of those Itopes! Nowis the time to ehaige. and may this fullness of yourpmeer renund us ol thefullness of ours, and tliat, fust as you strait ivane, so strait we. only to be reborn when alt seems losll" "Vie worship in the moonlight not as a nwship of t lie actual satellite, although the powers of the moon are great indeed, but asa worship of all that She represents."
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"Blessed Goddesses of ibe Moon. ShcofMo-ny names and faces, and especially Ike face of the mother. (A clear goblel is held aloft to Hie moon, my suggestion is lemonade, dandelion wine or anolIter cloudy wine. •<••,:.: ioe rivnt ihe liauid to absorb the moonlight, not just lei il pass through. A drop of skim mitt dissolved in a cup of wine is iffectioe. and doesn 'I diange tlte taste of the wine, but some people seem squeamish about the idea.) into this goblet may llv power of ihe moon be taken, that are may drink and be renewed in her Sight, so mote it be." D r a w i n g d o w n the M o o n : (optional) This part should follow the passing o l tin- goblet, unless the coven decides not lo. I've seen this a ritual like this abused once, so 1 suggest o n l y a priestess perform i l . By priestess, I mean one w h o has achieved thai level through w i s d o m and skill regardless of her " m o t h e r d o m " 01 ability to have children (as some trads dictate).One of the best d r a w i n g d o w n ceremonies 1 ever attended was performed by a priestess w h o began life male, so the Goddess obviously knows her o w n , even i l some Wiccans don'tRemembcr that it isn't genitalia tliat makes a woman, i t s the m i n d , and if that female m i n d is i n a male body, Irust in ihe Goddess to see the woman. I k n o w this seems an odd forum to make that statement, but D r a w i n g D o w n the M o o n is not E V E R taken lightly by Wiccans, and a few rules need to be established before such ceremony is performed. A s k the following questions before the ritual, i l the answer to any o l them is no, dun't do this part o l Ihe ritual. ffl: fs the coven comfortable w i t h their priestess, is that persons rank indisputable? #2: Is the priestess comfortable w i t h this ritual? ty. Does everyone involved W A N T to do this part o l the ritual? B4: A r e we sure uur motivations aren't greed, s h o w i n g off. etc.? #5: A r e ihe vibes okay? II all your answers are yes, continue. the priestess s h o u l d ' v e h a d a ritual cleansing before the ritual, and n o w a c o v e n e r should bace a pentacle u p o n her forehead with Jasmine
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0 1 C l a r y Sage oil. 1 really like a plain Silver robe foe this ritual, especially a pale silvery silk or satin, i i seems lo calch ihe moon and candlelight, and it really glows and ivith heavier w e i g h ! material ¡1 genlly flows w i t h the priestess' movements. Indoors, i n daylight, however, these robes olten look gaudy, so limit then* lo Ihis ritual. Tlie priestess stands in the Goddess position, lhat is. fuel apart and arms outstrelched. Priestess: "Behold, I stand before the moon. Btessed by her beauty, roeteamed by her warmth, to warship in her temple." Leader/Priest: H o l d s lunar, moon candle up to sky behind priestess¬ " Blessed Lady of the Moon, ihe who is called-insert preferred moon g o d ' de&s names-Descend upon this, your priestess, if you will, and enlighten us as you tighten ibe wOrhl." The candle descends past the priestess and behind, where it is held. The priestess recites "The Charge of ihe M o o n Goddess" ( A p p e n d b ) I) or speaks "as the spirit moves. When she is done, the leader speaks. "Thank you. oh Lady, for your Wisdom, aiayailwho conurlonighl neve'forget thy word*." Cakes and A l e Close the Circle
6 Equinox Rituals
A u t h o r Wolf Coven Usage; A u t u m n and Spring Equinox Appropriate Day/Night: The A u t u m n a n d Spring Equinoxes Requirements: Regular ritual gear, plus (Spring! Seeds, a Planter. (Autumn) Applesf o r both, the Circle is cast, then, a " S t o r y " of the season is read. The legend of Demeler and Persephone is a G o o d one for spring. The Legend of the D y i n g K i n g or the tales of various apple C o d s are G o o d for the A u t u m n Equinox. N e w Members tend to take the oath or be welcomed in to the first circle at this point". Once the business at hand is taken care of, lite ritual may begin. S p r i n g Equinox lOstjra.l The Ritual begins with a planter full of dirt on the altar and each coven member has a seed. Traditionally, these seeds are apple seeds from the autumn ritual. These Ritu a Is are based o n N e w England/Upstate N e w York harvests, where Lughnasa is the C o m Harvest and The A u l u m n equinox is the A p p l e harvest. The seeds are given out in autumn and carried through Hie winter by the coveners fof course, new coveners w i l l be given seeds before the ritual) For several months, these seeds are " w i s h e d " u p o n , that is, one "places" a
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w i s h o n l u the s a i d in tile hope t hut as the seed grows, so will the w i s h fulfilling Usell when ihe seed becomes A pfcant. leader: "rVrtcanw alt In this spring time circle! Replied Far Hie Goddess approaches and ihe whiter snows falter in their hold on the ground! The ani mals that feed and clothe us propagate, the seedlings root arid grow oud from strong roots the trees shake off the oppression of the snow and send oat buds to brave t lie winter col d. Ware, though, of the dying pangs of winter. Ware the struggle between the dark half and light lialf of the earth, knowing that to tose \jour respect for tts power is tofaceoliliU-ration in its fury...no. we are not yet safe from biting winds, let us remember the blizzards of April and pray that tlte crops can grow beneath the last vestiges of enow and the last frosts. Rejoice twt * f hair braved Ihe U N f tine.i. Bf ha>e m r m f J to tee rbe Goddc.u au-rılıl m'.lrır m 'he eelr-tml ihmnr) S'< Jjrrırı 'he IL hrit of rhr veOf'" r
(The planter is raised.) "Within Ihis vessel. Earth, mother and lover waits for our dreams and goats- Throughout the winter, wishes were made. I/opes nere hoped, and with this planting mau our hopes and dreams flower and growl" leach person plants their seed, visualizing the fulfillment of their gnals. U p o n completion, the leader says "let it g r o w ! " , and power is raised, focusing o n the planter and the seeds. The power is released and t h e g r o u p moves on to cakes and ale and a discussion of h o w their winter went.) Autumn: Leaden "Now an- we brought together at this Ihı-last harvest, the luirvcsl of Apt>lcs." (a great bushel ol apples is on the altar.it is lifted by leader and a covener.) Although the apples spilling over the top and at least one eovener saying "behold! l i t e harvest is Indeed bountiful! O u r bushel runneth over'." occurs every year, technically, it isn't supposed to hap pen that way) B d i o l d the bounty of the harvest, eat of the fruit of the earth! (Apples are passed around. Apple seeds are retrieved, dried off anil harvested into a small dish of the sort used for eiinsecrations. Once the seeds are gathered, dte Leader holds lite dish skyward.) "Now! Raise fvım tlıut ttiese smlx will rest, containing within ttie fruit as the fruit contairvd them. Never ending is tlx Cycle! Eter Blessed is the way!" (power is raised) (Each person is handed a seed, some traditions actually use a little cloth
Kaalryn MacMargan ÎT I
bag) "Guard Weli Ulis seed, andfertilitéii Uw¡ your wishes, liiraa umt Irullrs. so Mini in spring, planted. Htey will Ih'liv and grow. I'roloci end presem iliis wrd. Ilia! il pmtrei \foii. So iftatt il brt~ The group moves onward lo discussions, feasting and ihe like.
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Solstice Rituals
A u t h o r Kaatryn M a c M o r g a n Usage: To celebrate the Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice (Vide) Appropriate D a y / N i g h t The Solstices RcE|iiirimijnts: Summer: costumes, flowers, chalice. Yule: Strings of popcorn and cranberries, or c o i d s o f pure cotton. Small paper decorations, a wreath made w i t h no plastic, preferably dry [perhaps the wreath from last year's front door?) A Fire, If y o u cannot have a fire, do a symbolic version in a caldron or pan. Summer This is. m y favorite, if a bit involved, ritual. We usually (unless restrained by time) gather as many covens as possible into one area for this ritual/enactment, but we've cut it d o w n to five people in the past. This festival is often called M i d s u m m e r ' s N i g h t , although technically if is not. We often rhonse to celebrate this " M i d s u m m e r s " in large groups, reserving the more ecstatic m i d s u m m e r ' s festival in mid-July as a family event. Everyone dresses " w i l d " We've often, wiEh a large enough group, performed Shakespeare's A M i d s u m m e r ' 5 Night's Dream. I remember playing I iippolyta for the first time in my I iigh School production of Dream,, only to play it again that summer o n the field at a Wiccan performance.
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atııî about three timos since then... talk about stuck in ,ı rut! The Summer Solstice Is when the " w e n d " shift happens, and many Wiccans dress as "Faeries" nnt Ihe fluffy winged k i n d but imps, satyrs and sprites, bedecking themselves inearth toned makeup, flower bedecked hair and fun costumes. r
This festival of M i d s u m m e r begins w illi a r i t u a l a t the sunrise of the longest day of the year- The K i n g and Queen of Solstice are chosen (usually a priest and priestess, often f r o m different covens) A n d Ihe men and w o m e n divide into two groups A circle is casi around both gmups, and ihe groups in t u m encircle the " K i n g " and " Q u e e n " . The circle of Women pari, and the "queen" sleps forward. Often, a special costume has been donned, bedecked w i t h flowers. She holds a large chalice, into w h i c h w i n e has been poured. M a n y covens choose to per form a small blessing of the wine first. She speaks; "Mw husltand, son. re/<eal yourse if." The " k i n g " comes out from his encircled courtiers. Queen: "Face of the Sim. strongest in Power, on this dau, ftm truly- are King!" K i n g : "from the Darkness, into Strength I 1/aOc grown. and nuiv. within your womb- I am reborn once more. So face the darkness and be reborn. Moilter. wife, drink with me afila: light of Ihe sun. that our patoers mingle and the iighl of Ihe sun fills Ihe sky and your wemb. Ihai ihe earth be blessed." fat this point, it varies- Decided in secret, or impromptu, by the " Q u e e n " and " K i n g . " the actions of the " G o d s " hen: ends up with the chalice being handed to the G o d . w h o d r i n k s , then offers a drink to the Goddess, representing the spark of divinity being passed to the child site's carried since Beltane. 1 lowever, 1 have seen twice where this d i d n ' t unite happen "per¬ fectly". Once, in a year where spring started near January, The Stubborn " G o d d e s s " refused, and a wrestling malch, symbolic, 1 sup pose, of the weird weather, ensued. Another time, a " s h y " Goddess, symbolizing the spring that kepi leaving, needed tobecoased forward by her "followers." This unexpectedness creates one of two feelings in people. M a n y understand that this form o i reenaclment is very tradi tional, w i t h the acdons of the symbolized deities suggesting deeper
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meanings, b u l a few feel bh.ll such things .Ire irreverent, even Co the point o l blasphemy, an act of supposing h o w the G o d s feel. This Is no Hilferent than a " d r a w i n g d o w n " ceremnny. and Ihe participants are encouraged lo "go w i l h " the feelings ihey gel. II the M i d s u m m e r King feels like he s h o u l d lake the cup determinedly, or the M i d s u m m e r Quean feels compelled to make .1 break for it {she is, o l course, restrained by ihe circle,) then so be ÍV. Tl the weeks after are full o l weird weather, it is not Ihe doings of the participants, it may just be theresulls of a celestial liff. Remember the Wiccan C o d s are feeling, living Gods, not Stodgy textbook characters. They a n ' not infallible. N o one Is infallible about anything. U p o n Drinking the K i n g says. "Let a!t share in litis bounty, drink, Uiut find happiness!'' The goblet is passed, refilled if needed, hut passed nonetheless. The Circle is dismantled around the participants, and then ihe king says. "With the light! Let there be merriment] Lei there lv glory! Go forth, enjoy! Remember! Btessctl are all who shared in ibis- rile ihis- day!" The partying begins. Yule; This is best done outside, in a place where y o u can create a large fire, ["copie inscribe wishes, wants, g o o d fortunes and the like mi papers, and tie them w i t h non-plastic ribbons. The circle is casl.(if the wreath is to be taken outside, d o this before casting the circle, in a nice w a r m spot, bach person w i n d s a c o i d or string around ihe wreath while telling a tale of Yule, ch i I d hea ring_. and the like. Wishes and dreams arc hoped lor. The wreath is then laid down (we take it outside, use a fireplace or use a room where a firepit is central, like a large temple with good ventilation., a friend's dirt floored Garage, with its huge skylight open, is perfect. {We also barbecue there i n January, and hold rituals year round w i t h i n it. Since bis. car is parked in a different building, the term "garage" is debatable.) The wreath Is laid d o w n within the middle of the circle, and each person lays his or her
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'WLSIU3K" w i i h i n ii Leader spuak!.: "NflHf, Ibe ehitd God lahes his first brealh and IheGoddess stır^rs beneath ihr bumktt ıtf ttVMMB L r i us kindle tlıo fire of tht> neil' God n'ilh our mishes, hanes ond drenin* lo carr\ı Iıinı ufTiPürd." (Tlıe vvrearh is lh\..rha group clıants, nr sings, t>[ nllıcnttlse. celebrales rhe birlh of rhe sun, circling r o u n d the fire.} A s it begins to gO ııul, t İle L'ddLT say.s: "Fiteofh/awn, brinşjCr oflighl. be Slrenşttlıeıied, be iıeaied. groıo and İearn. Ihıl ıı<e. loo nuty be rcklndled wktM our time comes. Blessed Be tlıc lard of llie Sun! Be bom aneıu? Blessed be ihcGoddess! Rest, for uevr fob, far no\o, is done'. Mau toe ah iiııd u'Iıal nv desire benealh the uouthfıd sun!' J
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C a t c s and A l a Close the Circle.
8
Beltane
A u t h o r Black Water Cove.il Usage; Bellane This is a M a y p o l e dance/ritual. Appropriate Day/Night: Beltane Requirements: A Maypole, Garlands o l (lowers, flower crowns. Cast Circle. Each person tells- a story or sings a song of May, including the s l o i y o l Persephone. M a y day is her homecoming, the presentation of the L o r d and Lady in their splendor. H a v e f u n ! A Maypole stands in the middle o l the circle, the bottom of w h i c h is heaped with flowers. The leader hands everyone a crown o l flowers. Instructing them to place it o n the head of a friend, the person nott to them, whoever they w i s h to. 'Crowned In flowers and love, fel us go forth with the merriment of Maift" Each person takes up a ribbon o n the Maypole. "As the circle of life turns, so shaft we" (the men go counterclockwise, the women clockwise, w e a v i n g in and out. (Chant/song) "Round and round and out to light. Circle, circle, turning right. Comes the May aueen sinning bright, round and round aitd otd to light. Blessed woman, blessed man. gram us peace, lo know the plan, summer's bounty, winter's wrath, never straying from ttrePaih. Celebrate eve. this beltane Day .comes the summer, aueen of May. Shining Lady and her hdghS. Circle. Circle, glowing bright."
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The. dance ends. Leader holds a cup. "Bl t$sed Lard and Lady. toe thank you for the spring, for the winter we survived and the harvest which ties ahead. As rrv turn so thr great wtiei-i of tite wear has tuned. We drink of the first true duy of light! (The goblet Is passed.) As we've lined, so shall -oe stay, worship, reni, Welcome May! Wisti good fortune to friend family, animal and tree. Lfrd and Lady. Let it bet"
9 Lughnasa
A u t h o r A n o n y m o u s Solitary Usage; To celebrate Lughnasa, (he feast of First Harvest Appropriate Day/\ight: Last night cii July Requirements: C o r n Dollies (made from local grain) are excellent liter decorations, but a candle can be used instead of the doll- C o m (see N o t e ) A cord for each member. Note; intholc a n d Lughnasa are the Turning (or Limirtal) H o l i d a y s , they fall m i d w a y between the two halves of the year and are " p u s h e d " by rituals involving imagery of Circle a n d Wheels. Lughnasa is also a harvest festival, in this case the c o m harvest, which precedes the apple harvest in the Northeast. In some parts of the county and in places where the primary grain is wheal. Lughnasa and The A u t u m n Equinox are " s w i t c h e d " with Lughnasa the " f r u i t " harvest a n d A u t u m n the " c o r n " harvest. I strongly encourage those in other parts o l the country to customi^e this ritual: Circle is cast. Leader: " N P W ere have come together toceiebraie the Turning of the great Wltcet Hull is Hie Earth, and tile changing once more of the land. Für HOW is the harvest and Hie turning of the sail in preparation for the great trial that is tire winter. Thankful of tlie Gods, toe meet to strare the bounty of the Earth.'
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(a bnshel of c o m is raised. Ill, leader passes sortie to each person. We generally use White, Red and Blue dried Indian C o r n , representing ihe Maiden, Mother and Crone, tied in small bundles with ribbon and the first of die iall leaves,, lltcsc are then hung, on doors, or otherwise displayed through Yule.I "Take of the Mother that w e all be nurtured and reborn this holiday." (A story is then told, often by the C o v e n Bard, about the meaning o l C o r n to the people of the area. This may be a legend, a news piece, a song, or any piece o i vocal art that the coven wishes, preferably from a local source. A l t e r this, the leader and the group discuss the news o l the season and their plans for Samhainbach person then speaks, in turn, announcing those things, that they hope lo complete before Samhain. Lughnasa is also the holiday o l " C o m p l e t i o n . " and any nagging works s h o u l d be finished w i t h i n a few weeks o l Sarnhain. The leader then geslures for all to sland. leaving the c o m in place-) 1
bach person takes out a cord and the clccle is told; "Now we rise, and encircle, to lum tin wtuel of hV year tanvtti the err darlo-nuig Irorizon. ma^ngforward into Autumn than Winter, may wo haw ^aseas does ihe land 'US Ihen. our needs met and oar projects completed." (The Circle moves inward, and each person takes their cord and links it through the person opposite them, so that w h e n they step away, the cords, lit pairs o l two, form spokes in a wheel- Some covens use more intricate measures, " h i t c h i n g " all the cords together, o r hitch all cords through a small ring, but this is easiest, and seems to be the tradition for most COVen&. A t the leaders signal the group circles Around turning the wheel. ) "And so spins the wheel of the near, I umlng for one day to ihe next in ueoer-ending cycle. Amazed, uv can only turn with the circle and watch where it takes its, so forward, spin toward ihe fulfillment of dreams, an eternal harvest, no want, all needs fulfilled. So might it be!" (Each person releases 0 » end of tlleir Cord and the circle " f a l l s " apart. J "And soentwined we realize our inlerdepeudency and our Independence, with each other, with the Gods and With tire Earth, now we eat and Drink of this han-est, our hopes and aspirations burning within our minds
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•Jirrf Wühlt out g?a£p$. VVdJrr ffjL ht-lp of friends ami the Gods, may me feci secure lo sland al Ihe stimmt! und reach oner Itie edge h< seke vur legacy and mold it with Hope and Will into thettro* TJV desene: 1er tlir Calce and Ale he shatedl" Cakes and A l e , followed b y the " c l o s i n g " of the Circle and a feast-
10. Sam hain
A u t h o r Black Water Coven Usage; J o celebrate Samhain. the least o l the dead. Appropriate Day/Night: October l i s t Requirements: A large feast, a rope, masks. Tackle-lanterns as decora' tions, a small lire or a bunch of candles w i t h i n a bowl of caldron, papers with writing defined by the user. Samhain marks the beginning o l a n e w Wiccan Year, and as such, the celebrations afterward are often jovial, champagne and streamer type affairs, but the aelual Samhain h o l i d a y represents a dark time for Pagans. It is Persephone's descent and subsequent deflowering in the realm of Hades, a time when darkness is u p o n us and our voices are raised not in mere celebration but in pleas of mercy, "let the hay grow enough for one more harvest," "make winter easy." " b r i n g peace to m y house." "Protect us Irom the harsh w m t e r w i n d s . " 1 once had a vision, w h e n visiting a showing of a Friend's artwork, a mental painting that fit his style. I paint very little, but tills: image, of a profiled Demeter, face racked in sorrow as a flower strewn Persephone is dragged away by a shadowy figure in the foreground, has haunted me, just out of reach of the paintbrush. This tear, this pain o n Demeter's face is what Samhain is. the descent into darkness.
2JT2
A l l Out WictH
Circle is Cast as Ihe sunsets, and the area shoold get steadily darker during the ritual. T parter: " N e w İR the last setting of the Suit upon Ihe year that was. and we travel d o w n w a r d into iho year that is. A s the sun sots and the new day begins, the circle turns once more and Ihe veil that separates the living from the dead is thinnest. We mask our faces, so the dead may not lind us, inviting only those w e love to accompany us into this cinde and into our feasting tonight. (Twi: cuveners suspend a rope, lied in a large circle, forming a d o o r w a y with it. The leader cuts a space w i t h i n Ihe door with the Athame, and the group parts. } "Enter, friends, loves, family, and all w h o w i s h !o celebrate this night with us, let all he welcomed w i t h i n thai possess the spirit of goodness and live by our law. The Wiccan Pede." A l l : " A n it h a r m ru>ne. do as y o u w i l l . " Leader: "Let all w h o do not wish to be a part leave n o w " (Pause. The Rope is dropped and a pentaele d r a w n where the door had been.) " N o w are all met w i t h i n this circle to turn the wheel ot the year once more. The fire/candles is/are lit in the center of the circle, and each person brings fortli his or her "sacrifice." This, is not, as some may think, a living creature killed for enjoyment, but a piece of paper detailing a resolution for the N e w Year. Written on this paper are things like "Cigarette b m o k i n g , " "Co-dependency," " G u i l t over a friend's death," things that one sacrifices for the benefit of Self and Universe, and those things which we "sacrifice" to honor the C o d s . W h e n the paper is burned in the fire, (here is no "turning back," that thing is destroyed, and a commitment Lsmade. If what is given up i s a material possession, it must be deall w i t h belore Yule, preferably by donating to charity privately. N o one knciws what is written but Ihe person w h o wrote it and the C o d s , so no one may " m a k e " y o u give something up. In an older Irad the "sacrifice is of something that binds the soul tu this plain, a hurt or guilt." Samhain i s a fresh start. Alter all the papers are brought out, ihe leader speaks: " N o w we give up that which binds us. guilt, addictions and pains, to make a new starl before the gods. Into ihe fire w i t h them! That they never l o l l o w us again t into the pure fire of the C o d s cast all your troubles that
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y o u buttur rnuet the trial ahead, hır rtOW is the dark: ı ,•—• o l thu year arid the lime oi leslingl Sage is thrown onto ihe fire. Be cleansed! Breathe deep nf the knowledge of the Circle that i s l i f e , breathe Deep of the love of the C o d s and bo free of your Bonds. A s the Coddcss has decreed. Arise. Excel, Be Free!" {Coven begins to hum and chant softly, building through the following.) Leader; (over rising voices) A w a k e n ihe N e w Year w i t h the strength o l your voice, bring forth the Magick and bring forth the night! Begin w i t h a Whisper and holler w i t h M i g h t . Shake the harth, Sky and Waters this glorious night. Be it ever as right as the Coddess decreed. Arise and Lmeel, Arise and be free, by the powers we're g i v e n . . . " A l l iyelik S O M O T E IT BE! The Circle is closed, and feasting Commences.
11. Embole
A u t h o r Kat Machtorgan L'sage To celébrale İmbolc, the festival o l Fire. Appropriate Day/Night: The First or Second d u y nf February Requirements: Candles. Circle is cast. Leader: "Now is the time whin the circle of the year begins ils descent toward ihe blessed days oflight. So runo does the snow begin tofall, and many miles away the ice is cracking as lite Earth strokes free of the darkness.' Leader lights a candle I rom the altar "Sow, Ihc circle of Eire rises In the east and She spring is kindled." (He lights the east most covener's can dle.) 'Alight wlteti, light ihc Earth'.' The eovener passes the fire to the nest candle, saying "Alight Wheel," the next covener says, "Light the Earth/' a n d the candles are lit cluckwise. each repealing the tWO phrases. W h e n the entire circle Is lit, Leader speaks. "Round and round hirns the circle of Hghl, come spring, touch us uriih lite warmth of the sun-~ Coveners walk around circle, "luting, turning, the circle bright, Citcle. Iurning bringing light! As on Harth so shall it be above. As the light grows, so grows the light above. Arise light, and ihaio Ihe earth Iliat rae may harnest heiler of ils bounty." Coveners raise the candles h i g h , ceasing to walk. "So grows the light of spring in strength, and glar\>. so grows our awn ligltt as ioe walk forward, may wehe ez
2U
Kaalryi MaeMargan 71*5 The nifc.t part of the ritual is too diverse to l i s t Depending ( i n area, one may pray thai ihe snows be less harsh, have a symbolic ice breaking or just up and end i l therp. Put simply, what shuuld fbTJow is an enactment oi the season designed by the coven/practitioner, then cakes and ale. Imboic is a poor time for M a g k k , so refrain from performing such acts within the ritual.
12.
A Pagan Thanksgiving: "Final Feast"
A u t h o r Jonah " W i n d s i n g e r " and K,it M a c M o r g a n •.Sage; This is said m u c h as "grace" around the (able. Appropriate Day/rVight: Thanksgiving, o r thirteen days before Yule Requirements: Turkey, p u m p k i n , c o m , yams, potatoes, cranberry sauce (preferably not a cylinder of jelly arranged on Lettuce leaves,..see recipe, Book two) other food. Four candles, apple wine or cider. This is a very Northeast rite, which is appropriate since dianksgiving claims to commemorate events at P l y m o u t h . The Food is laid out of the table. The headfsJi of the family light candles in the cardinal colors around the d i n i n g place, casting a sort of mini-circle around the room. One of them rises, w h i l e rest of family sits- C o r n is held up. We use bread and butter corn or blue c o m or a mixture of Com, preferably o n the cob. L e a d e r "Cor?J sustained the ancestors through the years. The Spirits of Corn are generous, and bouniifut. and from them mau we gain a hountu crni. Com. that uvathrr* the sfornfs. the droughts, and the floods, to rise once mare. May the corn grow strong-" (The c o m is passed, clockwise, of course-} Second person lifts yams and/or potatoes. "As Persephone descended and was coveted over by tlv black soit. so this food was hidden deep in Hie earth. In ihe rough winter to come may we be grounded and protected from that which would harm us like the mother Earth protects this food. ( P u m p k i n : Pie or cut) Sanihain. we
Kaalryn MacMorgan 2H7
slicedfaces in ilu: pumpkin, it was little mare iluln a toy. Now. it preserves us. by providing what the soil arrsnoi and keeping us throughout the winter. A l\
13.
A Funeral Rile
Author Anonymous Usage; f o r planting the memorial Iree. If legal where y o u live, the ashes may he interred, during this ritp. Appropriate Day/Night: whenever Requirements: A few of the items of the deceased, a tree, wine. Leader: ~Wc have. cOnie IogetlU:r to this place to celebrate a lift ill/It Was. has gone Ic seek the answers to Ike questions that cannot be answered ift life. Tlie Cycle of rebirth mutes our mourning, far we know that the person who was isa new person, perhapsfar.perhaps near. We bring gifts for their tree.-.wine. memories- Digging has leftaholein Hte earth, andaliole in oar lives is iett bylu^/her death. As we fill the hole, to wefill our tii-es, with the beauly of the person thai was and the hope for the person tliat is or will be." fFaeh person then lays a gift i n the hole, a bottle of the deceased favorite w i n e , a poem, the person's Book o f Shadows, documents, picture, whatever. Fach person explains the giff hefnre laying it within the hole. W h e n each has had their say, the leader lifts a goblet and pours 1
w i n e info the hole) "Lord and lady watch over . and grant him/her the kind of next life fsilte wants. Tench him/her his/her lessons and watch over hint/her as you watch over as. tTlie tree Is lowered into the hole and each person ases itte sail around to pack it gently in. . this
1M
Kaalryn MncMorgan 71«
is MOUT Spirit tree, may you Iteur ai> that your frieruis sny unit be blessed by their good wishes." Prom then on the friend ft the deceased leave trinkets and offerings, just as they w o u l d , i t a tombstone. The preservation ol the spirit Irce is a clan and coven duty, and if it should (all or be diseased if must be repaired Lir a new tree planted. The power of tile Spirit tree is indisputable, and thecomlort of s i m p l y putting your arms around die tree and bugging is immense. Following the planting there is u l l e n a party, where the loved one is rejoiced in song, dance and ieasling. The dead move on. and mourning, while natural, need not be maintained to "honor" the dead. Indeed, bv being reborn afterward, and moving on, y o u honor them lurther. The Faerie tree is a spirit tree of a friend of mine w h o loved Faeries, the seven year old while oak looks at least twenty years old. and the glittering of Ihe thousands of Faeries, in pewler. crystal, w o o d and even glass w h i c h have been fastened w i t h tree-safe plastic hooks and line, sparkles in the moonlight on the full moon. Already, the kids in the area, prevented from vandalizing tlie tree by tlie Irish w o l f h o u n d that patrols the yard, have decided that at least seven real Faeries live i n the tree. They may be right.
14.
Han d fasting, version I
A u t h o r Black Water and Bell Covens Usage; A Wiccan " w e d d i n g " Appropriate Day/rVight: Any, Beltane is nice. Requirements: T w o cords. Handfasting oaths. Within a cast circle: Priestess: (A speech about love, the ceremony a n d the participants is given, then a little b i l o l the day, and its significance. This can be about a holiday, or a month, a phase of the moon, whatever.) " and June decreed Hrat upon this day, they shall begin their irca> lives as a partnership. , step forward. With what intentions do you seek this Standfasting?~ {Answers) " , step fonoartl. With wtrat intentions do you seek this handfasting? {answers) " . knowing 's intentions, do you stilt wish this rite to oe.cn r ? (answers! , knowing . s intentions, do yon slill wish this rite to occur?"(answers) (if everything is sdll okay...] Priestess gathers their hands a n d unites them; " and ttaoe prepared their own Imndfasting oaths" (The oaths are recited.) " . do you wish So be handfasted to .for us Song as tone shaft last?" (answer) " , do you wish to be trandfasted to , for as long as love strati last?"(answer) (Hands -
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Kaalryn MacMorgan
HI
wrapped with curds, w h i c h are intertwined.) "Mau these cards bind your
Itauds as your vows bind your hearts, and may your love withstand the storms of human nature, a'ut. being tenrpvred. create a greater bond. and are one before the lard and Ladv. Blessed they be on this merry day'. Gather round, friends and family, and embrace this partnership, embraced before us by lumen and Earth'. May love last long!' Everyone: So 'note it be'/' ( o r r i a n d t a s i ! " )
15.
Handfasting, version II
A u t h o r Black Water and Bell Covens Usage; This is a handfasting as above, o n l y lor a year and a day. Appropriate Day/\ight: whenever. Of a year and twn days after the List handfasting. Requirements: A s Handfasting 1. Perform Handfasting above until reaching the line of: " D o y o u w i s h to be hand fasted to " from d»ere, proceed as follows: " . do you consent to he handfasied to for a year and a. day* and do you consent to appear before us on {date and year after one year and a d a y ) to announce intentions you nuiy have?" (Repeat for second partner tlie cords are wrapped around tireir h a n d i , priestess says;) "Bound In love, before the eyes of Hie Gods, and arc hamlfasteil until (date) that they niao learn aiul grow together within the eyes of the Gods. The length of their Handlisting Is not a lack of lore, or a laitc of con/nut went, hat the understanding that as lime passes, people change. May we gainer often lo hear (heir vows again'. aiul art handfasted Sjefonr friends, family, and the Gods, let all celebrate in their lone and glory'. " Everyone: "So aroicrr Bel' (or " H a n d f a s t r j
¡42
16.
Healing Ceremony for Abuse Survivors
A u t h o r Phoenix M a t : M o r g a n in The Green (The Newsletter of R e l i g i o n Other). Samhain, 1994. Usage: Tn aid in Ihe healing of those w h o have been abused. Appropriate D a y / \ i g h l : N e w M o o n or T h e Day before • or any day/night. Requirements: A mirror, burning Sage. String. A contained fire. The leader should east the circle in whatever manner they feel is most appropriate. The Leader should then bring i n each participant individually, saying, "Yon are now entering sacred space. Nothing evil can remain Jrenr, The only bends that itoid you in this cirde are lite bonds thai you altaw." After all are in the Circle, close it. s ay i n g , "This Circle is sacred space. All here belting to Hie Gruls and Goddesses and to themselves. -
Lead everyone to the East, saying. "Tfij's is the East, the quarter of Air." Take b u r n i n g sage and cleanse each person, saying, "lei Hie wind blow and cleanse you from all thai has been done lo you in Ihe past. Breath deep Ihe first breath of your new life." Next, go to tlie south, saying, T h i s is the south, the quarter of Firc.~ Take a string and loosely bind each person's hands, saying, 'This Is lluit whicli binds you. and holds you back from owning oaurself Break free.
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All Out W k c *
let the Fire burn away alt of yourpast. It luls not-sold on you now." A l l i n v them i o free themselves, and then burn the strings. Next g o to thp west, saying. "This is lire si<est. Hie quarter of water." Take Water a n d bathe caelt person's hands and face, saying: ~in Ihe West you are reborn, with the water you are made pure." Finally go to Ihe N o r t h , sdying. "This is the North. lire auaiter of fjfrirr. in lite earth urban/ our past and are grounded in our new Hoes." tfirrf
1 lold a mirror up to each person and have h i m o r her look inlo it and repeat alter yon. "This Is my bod\/and mine atone. I reclaim myself as pure and holy." It m a y lake a person some time to say the w o r d s and laee the mirror. Don't let them look away i I possible. Bring everyone back lo the center, saying: "you are free. Your Bodies are temples and Isoty and only uou decide loho hlutres them and on sohai teuet. Having reclaimed yottrseltvs, go forth in joy artd strength." Dismiss the circle. This ritual is very powerful. D o not w o r k it w i t h other ritual work, and make sure ail participants are aware of what will happen.
17.
Tools, Runes or Tarot Deck Consecration
A u t h o r BellTuwer Coven. L'sage; To prepare tools, Runes, T i r o l decks and anything else deemed appropriate, A p p t o p r i a l e Day/N'ight: Any. hull moon Is good. Requirements: Salt, Water, Incense, Candle, Anointing o i l , normal rit ual gear, itemfs) to be consecrated. Plate Or dish, a fairly solid Self. Lay a plate upon the altar, placing all things lo be consecrated upon tbe dish. If consecrating a Ta rot deck, fan i l out, and instead of regular anointing oil use an alcohol based extract, avoid direct contact w i t h flame w h e n using such extracts! A b o v e these things, hold the Atliame" or w a n d saying, "Beltald then- things which l eonseerate this day/night, artoluling them with I lie power of the Self and the Gods thai they he used in claritu with purpose'." (Pass incense over the items, blowing the smoke d o w n w a r d Lf it is a very lighl smoke} "Passed through the sacred air. ati eııil is cleansed and all are rehorni" (Pass [he plate over the candle flame) "Passed through Fire, all Is cleansed and tatted." (You should have salted wafer from the circle casting, trace with a finger dampened with this water a pentacle upon the items (trace a pentacle on the deck of tarot, or each separately.} "Behold, ihe mark of the Gods in Water! All is made Pure!" {Sprinkle sand u p o n plate) "into Earth ma\> all our blood flow, be filtered, grounded, healed! For lam _ , and I
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A l l Oac W k c a
chmn these things as mine, sacred in usage, perfect in their purity, let nothing part me from these things lest if be necessary! For I am ," (Mark the items with your sigil, name, ntr a symbnl that represents Y O U , and picture the items as always i n your grasp arid control. Imagine, i l y o u w i l l thai this oil you anoint them with flows from your pores, if, o l y i i u . Do nut doubt for a moment that these things are item-, o l W i l l , and parts of y o u , tools o l yours, upon completion, invoke your P / M a l r u n Gods and say the following.1 " arul , watch over these and I that I use them in clarity and true purpose, as is my Will, so be H yours'." (a nice way to end this is to hold your hands about eighteen indies apart, with your thumbs, at near right angles to the hands, bring your hands together sharply, putting out the candle flames below them. This requires practice, but while y u u are doing it. visualize an auric light iorming, w h i c h , u p o n the sudden closing o l your hands is "forced " into the items. You should not have crystals o n the altar l o r this!!! Crystals arc power "batteries," and Tarot. much jewelry and ritual items hold power only reluctantly, i n turn, releasing it only when necessary Crystals, cm the other hand "Suck u p " power, and are easily drained. " C h a r g i n g a cry stal" consists of merely holding it when yoo leel loll o l power. If you do this often, y o u may notice a "tingle" In the crystal, w h e n it is already l u l l , dien consecrate i l . or better yel. consecrate crystals alone-
18. Stress Relieving Ceremony
A u t h o r Black Water Coven Usage: To relieve stress Appropriate D a y l i g h t : whenever Requirements: A censer o r d i s h w i t h lit charcoal, a b o w l o l waiter, herbs or incense. Cast a Circle. (Or, d o this within J bathtub with a bottle of incredible Irish beer) Visualize all of the stress as the incense o r herbs. Breathe deeply, h o l d , then east some o l the incense on the charcoal, saying, 'Into smoke, fty toward Hie iieaveiis, leave my body, he gone!" and visualize the stress flowing out of your body with the air w h i c h pushes awake the smoke. Breathe deeply, then exhale again, saying the same thing. D o this a total of three limes, o r as long as y o u feel necessary to remove the stress. D i p your hand in the water, then b r u s h your eyes, lips, forehead and neck w i t h a damp hand. Sprinkle a small amount o l water n n the charcoal, saying: "I am cleansed of this negativity. I am ready le go forth unhindered by those bonds." Do this three limes, extinguishing the charcoal with the last water. Close the Circle.
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19 Oath Signing Ceremony for the Second Circle
Author Anonvmous Usage: To sign the 03 ih pf the Second drüln. Appropriate Day/Night: Whenever, especially o n a holiday. Requirements: Completion o l the First C ircle Studies. A copy of the oath, a pen. a cast circle, friends. Gifts are often given to the covener m o v i n g " u p " not material goods, but son^s. thoughts, and prayers.
Leader; " . you have conn-to a place in your studies where you have chosen to extend i f o i r r path. The Second Circle lies waiting, but there ore rules. Do you swear to live by the five points, taking responsibility for your actions and educating when ashed?" (Covener answers) "Do you stiiear to turn none away in need of help without good cause?" (Answers)
"Do you swear to defend Wicca from stantier and misuse, knowing you. loo. will be defended?" (Answers) "Vihal do \/ou ask in return for your twchings?" ( A n s w e r " N o t h i n g but the respect a teacher deserves.") "Towlwmdoes the responsibility iofix Ural johidi is wrongly taught fail?" ("The toucher")
Kaalryn MmMargun
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"Dv uva SJPOir iliat oou pmcike Würpfl, and that all af uvu.r aüio/is art practiced with a freer YikMt" ("Yes") "Do i f l ' i z swear So ncivr rcslrirl or deny the Vitiii of a tl\M$\}\\T~ {" Y e s ~ ] "Are you fully aware of Ihc ramifications iV" this Call/and do von swear It IvforctheeyesofThcLo'dand Lady I" truth ?" (Answer) " S t i mole übe. Hear ail, Welcome and be biased!" (A copy is signed und witnessed.)
is now of the Second Circlet
20. Land Dedication
A u t h o r Black Water Coven Usage; A s a dedication for preserved land. Appropriate O a y / N i g h t A n y Requirements: Mono, save normal ritual gear and a goblet o l wine. The Circle is cast- If possible, the circle is cast around the land, if not, somewhere near the m i d d l e , this is often done i n the " m i d d l e " of another ritual. Leader: "Lard and Lady, please accept this land as your oum. wltere animals, people and plants may grow and thrive ii'ith the respect they deserve! Watch over this land, and aid us in ils protection and yrvbervatvmi Wp have purchased the rights a/this land with the intention ofgiving iomething bach and
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21. Dedication for Coven Members (Covening)
A u t h o r Wolf Coven Usage: A s a dedication for people in a coven. Appropriate Day/\ight: A n y Requirements: (This is for people w h o have achieved the First C i r c l e ) A Covening Gift for each member. This usually İs a ritual tool or a piece of jewelry tliat the Coven has purchased. The Symbolism Oİ the gift is expressed in the ceremony w h e n the gilt is given, like "To Fred w e give this w a n d , firebrand of the ages, extension of power, symbol o l m a n . " O r "To Wilma w e give this crystal of clear sight, that each o l her facers shine brightly within and outside this, our coven.'Tentacles are also provided to the students, in Silver, clay, w o o d or wliatevcr is available, and hung on a siring, ring, earring or bracelet. It ¡5 com pletely acceptable lur the student tu b r i n g his/her o w n pentacle. w h i c h is consecrated before the ritual. Leader: "Today is a glorious day? for {names) liasfhaoe consented to fain with us in the eyes ofthe Cod?. Coven member is}, friertdtsl. family, h/av no longer just (at faced), but (a) Memherisi of IİK Greater Ctan thai istheWieea. Eaeh/Ttc/Slur has demonstrated ftdl knowl edge of the taws which bind us and as such, the coven presents ihlsitlrese giftls) (gifts are presented) Pentacles are offered. Each person performs the following, just as In the solitary dedication."
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3tt2 A l l Oac
WIÍCJ
"i am "your ríame." f baiv been IÉHM the fiar paints and the VJau. ana" choose to Uve hy tifo, by ihe YJiccan Rede and the Creator Lia/, In my hand S huid ihe jieutacle. symbol afthr F.lemenls, F.arfh, Air, Fire, WnJrr and Spirit. Five latos i have been shou-n. and bu the File I choose to Hoe. i ara aware of nty actions and i take responsibiIdy for whal foe done and ¡ehal i fitall do-" lOpiiuii.il: "To shttw this H L - W Self, I have taken ,1 new name. , w h i c h is what i shall be named in The eyes of the Gods and wherever else your name w i l l be u s e d , including " i n the eyes nf the Wicca, etc.) "Henceforth, I am no longer "name" I am "Name or craft name" of The Wkca- So Mote It Bet " "This penlacle is consecrated with the poum-of The Sun and Moon, and I don it knowing ihe value and depth of its meaning. BSessed S/e tire Lord and Lady! (Puts pentode an.) Wow my dedication is complete, and lire patllS arc many and varied before me. May I go and grow with Siappiness and the power of the looe of the Gods- So Mole ¡I Be'.' Covciv "So moleit be!"
Book Four: A Dictionary of Modern Paganism
Every Religion has its o w n language- M a n y new Wiccans express confusion at the vast number of words being used that they are eitlter unfamiliar with or are seeing In a differenl w a y This dictionary includes abbreviations, netslang and uncommon terms commonly used in Wioca and I'aganism.
A A e r One w h o participates in twelve step programs lo Ihe point o l nausea, a good example or this 1* Stuart Smalloy Emm Saturday N i g h ' Live'5 o l d " D a i l y A f f i r m a t i o n " hits- N o t a very polite term, hut since A A is gjTOUped as " N e w A g e " by many folk, you may come across it. A A S B u i A - B , A/B: Internet slang For the Hermetic M a v i m " A s A b o v e , So Below." Adept: (uh-Dept) One w h o is good .it something, usually this is someone w h n Is proficient Metaphysically. Aeromancy: (air-oh-mancy) A i r Magiek A k a s h a : (uh-kash-uh) The bifth tiement. Spirit, "heart," or Divinity. Akashic Record, T h e : (tlb-Kash-ick Wreck-urd} The Celestial/Astral version o l the Library of Congress, i h e Library at Alexandria and The World Wide Web all rolled into one, based on the writings of Fdgar Cayee. Ambidextrous: (Am-bye-Dex-ler-ous) Capable of d o i n g most things equally as well with both bands, also used for someone w h o swings bom Left hand path to Right band path without blinking. A m u l e b i Am-you-let) A talisman with a mystical or Magickal property>r : l-. 1 - -1.1: (ann-uh-kash-ahj Guardian o l the Akashic Record or any Guardian of any record, tome or hard disk.
3Q5
¿11 Oac Wicca
A i l - 1 . : (Onk) A n Egyptian Symbol, sue Symbols. B O C * TWOA n i m i s m ; (anna mi? im) BelieF that F v e r y l h i n g has a spirit/soul. ' i • i i• • ( A r kan-ah) the "Sets" of the Tanot Deck- The M i n o r Aroana correspond to p l a y i n g curds, the Major Arcana arc A l u or Trumps. A rd a nesVA rdai ns: See " Q r d a i r u i " A R P : A n a l Petenrive Pagans. Pagans, w h o nre sore thai it must he done their way or it's ruined. Internet Slang. Artifact: (art-ill-fact) A relic, usually ancient. Ascension: (A-sren-shun) 1. A n improvement in the Total Self. 2.. The Christian belief of being " C a l l e d to heaven" at judgment day. 3.Golrtg to Heaven. 4- M o v i n g U p w a r d A s x e n s i o n , M a j o r 1 A sudden improvement of the Total Self, often by fulfilling the Life Quest for this Life, or a task that has been demanded by a G o d or Spirit. 2. Achieving Hie next Degree in a coven w i t h a degree system. 3. A sudden jump in all abilities. 4. In reincarnation, the completion of all lives, leading to "oneness" with the " A l l . " Ascension, Y r n u : 1. A life change that alters your path. 2. Death 3. A sudden improvement in apart of the Self o r a few abilities. A s p e r g e r Jahs^punjur) or (asp-cfgcrj A rarely used tool, a bundle of herbs or small device to sprinkle water w i l h Astrah (ahs-tral) or {ahs-trul) 1. O f the stars. 2.0f the heavens. 3, The Plane of e-islence closest to our o w n , through w h i c h one can move ethereal.
Kaatryn MaiMargan J O "
Astral Projection: U s i n g the WiJI to travel widiout the bodyAs Ira I, To gn: To leave the body or become- ethereal Astraiism: (Ahs-tral-ism) The Science of Astral Projection Astrology: (Ahs-lral-oh-geeJ The A r t of d i v i n i n g using the location of celestial bodies. Astronomy: [ahs-bon-oh-mel The Science of cataloging, v i e w i n g , studying the slats, N O T to be confused w i t h Astrology At h JIII e: (eth-uh-may) One of the ritual Blades, see Tools, Book One. A t u : (ah-two) Trump A u t u m n : (Awe-turn) The proper name for the season ealled " f a l l . " 1
B A G : (Bee-"A"-see) B o o t A g a i n Christian. A Christian w h o has passed his initiation into a specific Christian Sect, some B A C s are Fundamentalists, but not all Fundamentalists a r e B A C s Balefire: (bayle-fyre) A Bonfire, often on w h i c h Bales of sacred herbs, sweet grasses, hay or straw are burned. A l s o , any ritual around one. Bane: {Bayne/ Bain) A ward or Destroyer. Banish: Jbann-ish) To m a k e s o m e t h i n g g o f l w a y and keep it from coming back. Metaphysically, this, means w a r d i n g something away or locking it up o n another plane- It doesn't w o r k o n natural denizens of this plane.
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Bard: (barred) Storyteller, minslrel ,itid nuwsperson. the Bard carried gossip and news Irom town to t o w n belore newspapers and the like. The Entertainer and newsperson of the T h i r d Circle. B B : tbeebce)Chat room slang for Blessed be. Bible: (Bye-bull) Literally: "Book." A n y o n e o l a number oi C h r i s i i a n bunks in publication describing C h r i s t i a n rules, Histury, and M y t b s and entitled "The B i b l e t h e H o l y Bible" and so forth. A t least ten different versions are in common usage in The United States of America. Commonest among these are The G i d e o n Bible, w h i c h seems relegated to Hotel rooms and bus stations, and The K i n g (ames EdiLons. of w h i c h there are S O many didt wu all either o w n ten or there are enough thrown away to fill at least one landfill, (I myself only own two King 'ames (Modern English, Original) in m y collection of 20 Bibles, no two of which are alike.) B i b l e Belt: (Bye-Bull Belt) A section o l the United slates where Religious Radicalily is taking longer to d i e out than in most other places, and has periodic resurgence, especially during Hood and tor nado season. W h i l e the Bible Bell is the center of good, wholesome, non-sexual Americans, it also sports one of the fastest growing group of H I V positive people, something dial must be incredibly difficult lo explain to the "Sellers" w h o live relatively uncluttered lives free of C o n d o m s and Evolution. Billiusgahis: (hilly-ns-gate-us) The Archfiund of computers, to w h o m periodic sacrifices of memory must be offered. Cfenying these sacri' fices may result in incompatibility and Ihe dreadful disease of outmodedness. A r u n n i n g gag in " w i r e d " Wiccan gniups. This realty has N O T H I N G to do w i t h Satanism. Really B i n d ; IBynd) Restrain.
Kaalryn MaiMurgan
ifrî
Black Bouk: (black buhk) A name lor Book af Shadows used by Salanists and some Wkcans. Blessed Ber fbloh-scd Bee) Not a sacred honey producing bug, h u l a pari o l the Ritual of the Five-Fold K i s s . U s e d b y Pagans as a greeting similar to " a l o h a " Bub; (bahb) Ens in Disguise, (wink) A patriarchal plot, of course. BoJineor Buleen: iBoe-lineor Boe-Iean) See Tools, Book One. Book o l Light: (bnhk o l lite) A public Book of Shadows, said to be revealed to the light. A l s o , a Universal Eclectic Wicca coven's Book of Shadows. Book o l Shadows; (buhk ot shaah-does) A Wiccan's Ritual Tome. A Book of Light that is kept secretB O S or B.O.S.; tBee-oh-ess) Book ot Shadows, slang. B u r n i n g Times, The: (Buri'-ning thymes.) N o , not a Fundamentalist Newspaper or A substitute to burning s,age, this is serious!'!! The Burning Times were a period from about lOOOce until 1951 in w h i c h thousands of people accused o l being Wilches were killed. A l t h o u g h by 1951 Wilches were nu lunger being executed, w e chouse to believe that the Burning 'limes ended with the repeal o l the last law against Witchcraft in Fngland, in 1951. The E n d i n g of the Burning Times began the A g e of M o d e r n Wicca, and the publication of Gerald Gardner's Witchcraft Today fl954) w e became a voice that has grown steadily louder. 1951 is also Year 0 of W E . Wiccan Era. a date used lo replace C E [Common Era) in some traditions. C E and B C E are the scholarly replacements for " A D " and ' B C " (which can't be proven). W h e n I lirst worked o n A l l One Wicca, reliable sources quoted the numbers killed in the burning times as l o w as 1.5 million and as high J
iin
A l l Our w i c i a
as 17 miHiitfi, but mure recent research into the field gives numbers sometimes as little as one one-hundredth o l those numbers The actual numbers of people killed Inr Wirca, specifically, in those years, was zero. Those killed for "practicing witchcraft" probably number in the tens of thousands, and those killed for heresy probably adds another 10.000 or so. W h e n the definition of b u r n i n g times includes all killed for n o l being Christian Irom 1 C E , die numbers do t o p o u l in the m i l lions, and there is (10 comparable attack o n Christians (for example, that Christians were led en masse to lions b y the Romans is a common myrh with no factual basis and the persecution of Christians in communist countries is not remotely comparable to the m a » executions of indigenous people in the Americas! but that number includes wars of conversion, attacks on indigenous people w h o will not convert, and the systematic extermination of cultures contrary to Christianity. There is certainly no modern sect of Christianity that can be blamed for all the genocidal acts of Christianity historically, and Christianity's bloody history is no reason to hate the religion itself or condemn its followers. r
C a b a l a , See fiabbalah C a l l , Tb; (cahl)To invoke a spirit. Candlemas; (can-dul-mahsj A Christian H o l i d a y developed to "cover u p " Imbolc. Used bv someTrads as a w o r d FOR lmbolc. CauldrOU; 'rall-dron) A large iron or hrassi pot used in rituals, bard to find and a stereotype. Celt: (Kelt) A n indigenous people of Europe, especially Northern and southern Greai Britain, France and Spain. Celtic; fKeldck) O f The Celts.
Ireland.
Kaatryn hiatMoigan 3 1 1
C e l t i c * : iSell-lieks) A Basketball team. What nut to call a group o i Celts. C e n t e r p a l h , T h e : {Sen-tur-pahth) The Ideal o i The Three Paths, to walk a m i d d l e line between Selfishness mid Selflessness. Not " N c u l r a l i t v " but caring fur the World a n d The Self equally. The Application of The Ethics of Constant Improvement and Self Responsibility forces this Path. C e m o n n o « (Varies, m y pronunciation is " C a r e - N o o n - O h s " ) Literally: H o r n e d One. The Celtic Hunter G o d used in Wieea whose Physical image was adopted by Christianity for the use of their G o d of E v i l , Supplanting the Gods of . i n indigenous religion w i t h your o w n " b a d g u y " was a common occurrence in B C E history a n d the beginning of C P History C h a k r a s : (shock-rahs) The Seven energy focuses of the body. They correspond with the colons of the rainbow a n d are from Reiki; not Wicca. Channel, Tec (ehaah-nul) To " b r i n g " a disembodied being into one's body. C h a n n e l i n g : The act of calling a disembodied spirit into a body. Easily disproven, often faked. Charge of T h e Goddess; Written in i l s modern form by [Joreen Valiente, Two alternate versions are given dn Book FiveCharge, T h e : See Charge of The Goddess. Charge, To: put energy into something. C h a r m : A Mystical/Magickai property given to something, also an object that has been encharmed.
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Cheiromancy: IKie-co" -fllflncy) Palm Reading. 1
Cheshire M o o n : (che-shire moonhn) W h e n the sickle of moon visible is the bottom and looks like the Cheshire cat's grin. Circle: (sir-Cull) 1. Tlie level one achieves in Universal liclcCot YYicca. 2_To go around. 3. The W k c a n "remple." 4.A coven or group of practloners. C l a n : Your extended family and then some. Clan-Trad: See ham-Trad. CiPne
uf
F o w e n The manifestation of raised energy within a Circle.
Cnntrary: (Cohn-trair-ee) Some Wircans yse Ihis incorrectly to describe people w h o work power "backwards." A l s o used to describe Left-handed folk, again, an incorrect usage. C o r n : A n y grain, particularly Zea M a y s (Maize) known as American Cam. C n r n Dollies: See " C o r n " above. Goddess figure made bom the harvest grain of an area. Also C o r n bather for a male figure. C o r n Mother, K i r n BabyC o v e n : (Cuh-ven)A group of Witches and/or Wiccaris meeting together. Also used hy Satanists and some Mages. Occasionally limited to thirteen in number. C o w e n : (.Lo-when) One w h o is not Wiccan. Craft, T h e : A term for Wicca or (rarer) Magick. Also the name of a movie front w h i c h a generation of teenle hoppers got the w r o n g Idea about Wicca-
Kaatryn hiatMaıgaıt
"ili
Crowieyarfc (Crow-lee-ann) A s / L i k e C r o w l e y , ün unpopular term. A friend's daughter's m i d d l e name. CrowIeyLstt (Crow-leo-ist) l.One w h o studies C r o w l e y bur doesn't consider themselves a Thelemite- 2- What Crowleyists call Thelemites when they aren't looking. 3. A person s t u d y i n g t h e l i l e and times o l A . Crowley, rather than the actually theories a n d philosophieSr Cryslalmancy: tChris-lall-mancyj Scrying w i t h a crystal, the term is also used lor other kinds of crystal MagickC u n n i n g f o l k : (Cunn-irtg-folk) G o o d " W i t c h e s . " especially of the middle ages. C u s p : (cuhssp} 1. The Top of a H i l l , mentally, emotionally, etc., from w h i c h one can only go d o w n . Down-headed. 7. The Day or H o u r w h e n an astrological sign changesDays o l Power, T h e : These are the Eight Sabbats: fmbolc. Lughnasa, Samhain. Beltane. The Equinoxes and the Solstices. Dead M a s o n : [Ded Mayson) Slang For a Hermetic Philosopher or older Melaphysieist, or male melaphysicists (especially from 1850¬ 1950) w h o are no longer w i t h us. Also used to indicate any library of Old metaphysical texts. Some will refer t o k m k i n g op materia Is in these libraries as "consulting some dead Masons." Dedication: (Dead-ih-kay-shun) 1. The "stuff" by w h i c h one sticks to something until they're done- 2- A ceremony acknowledging some thing or someone, most often a purpose, change in purpose of alter ation of one's life's path- 3. A c e r m e n o n y b y w h i c h one declared to the i their intention to be a Wiccan.
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Deislry: (day / dee-eS-tnie) A non-sexed .• r i itive to "Theology i n Thealogy" becoming popular In Wiccan Circles, also Deiology fDavVdee-nl-e-gy.) "The Science of G o d s " D e o s i l : (Varies: Dee-oh-sii, Doe-si IL Dee-oh-zil seem most common) Clockwise. Dianic: (Dy-ann-ick) The Dianic C o l l mentioned in Dr. Margaret M u r r a y ' s The W i t c h - C u l l in Western Europe is that o l the G o d Dianus, hut modern Dianic Wicca seems focused on Triformis, especially Selene and, o l course, Diana. Dianic Wicca was one o l ihe first feminist trads, and has gone one of two ways over the years, w i t h covens either becoming more open lo a two-sided divinity ur becoming worrtynexclusive. Dianic Wicca which acknowledges a male divinity even if it isn't paid much attention to is called "Dia.nic Wicca." Dianic " W i c c a " that acknowledges no male divinity i s usually called " D i a n i c Paganism" to distinguish i l from the gender-neulrality o l Wicca. Discordian: (Dis-cord-ian) A person, if they exist, w h o follows Eris, i l she exists, but often disguises her in a ma le facade to further confuse the public, a patriarchal plot, no doubt. D i v i n a t i o n : {dih-vin-"A"-tuin) Seeing that w h i c h Is hidden. D i v i n e : {dee-vine) See Scry, To. {dirt-vine) The Heavens, Gods or Spiritual perfection. D i v i n i t y : (dJn-vin-fh-ty) That w h i c h is, or (he power o l . The Divine. Duwn-IIcaded: idown-head-ed) Standing at a cusp, about to fall d o w n . Turning for the worse. hasten tee-ster) A Christian holiday instigated to replace Ostara, named for the Saxon deity Eostre.
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Ego, Mage's: A side effect of the belief that, with Eln Integrated Total Self and practice, one can d o anyUiing, leading the public to see Mages and other such believers as "Fgnbsts." Elder f ' L " dur) l.One older than {€) he coining the term. 2- A Wiccan PriestfeSS.) of ten Or itlOré years. 3. A Semi-poisonouS plant. Elements: ( " L " ih-ments) The smallest substances matter is broken into. f-Jot to be Conbised w i t h The Five Elements. Elements, The; Five Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Spirit. Elementáis: i n Mythologv, creatures of Earth. Air, Eire Water and similar "elements.'' Elementáis, Paracelsus'; Paracelsus, contrary to what his name might make y o u think, was a Renaissance alchemist o l some renown w h o was b o m Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bomhastus Von I Iiihenheim i n 1493. W h i l e he is well regarded for his scientific k n o w l edge, he also provided some really pseudoscientific stinkers, including his "elementáis," Slyphs, Undines, Salamanders and GnomesContrary to Paracelsus' views-no sciends-t has yet to discover these elementáis. Entirety, The: Everything that is, was, w i l l be. Esbat: (ease-hat or bzzbat) A Wiccan holiday excepting the üabbats. Ethics: (eh-thics) 1. Rules. Z M o r a l l v / S p i r i t u a l l y sound rules. Evoke: (ee-vok) To call energy from somewhere and bring it within. To call/take energy from something.
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E w w l e ; (youie) A Practitioner of U n i v e r s a l Eclectic WlcCa. A " Y o u p " is a prlesl(essl as lit UKWF. Slang E i - C h r i s l i a n i l y : The quasi-religious practice o l many former Christians- N o t a religion unto itself, E v C h r i s l i a n i t y has its forms in many faiths, inducting Fj-Christian atheism and " W F E C " {WieeanFlavored Ex-Chris lianily). There is healthy EvChrİstİanity, which con sists nf m o v i n g on to your new faith and m i l giving a large amoont of Lime to discussions of your lorrner faith, and there is unhealthy ExChristianity, in which anything Christian is seen as automatically wrong, and the very practice of ones new f.iith is an act against the for mer. W F E C s . specifically, ofien damage inlerfaith relalionships and dialog by broad brushing all those of their former faith as evil and wrong. Eye of N e w t : The Attention of the "conservative" Radical Religious Right, whether locally or nationally. Wiccan slang since around 1994Example: "The Wiccan gathering was lovely except for the Eye of N e w t , w h i c h posted Jesus loves y o u signs on our property and called the police on us for dancing. It wasn't so bad-the cops danced too." Fjm-Trad: (Fam-Trad) A branch of Paganism developed by/for a family or clan. Also " C l a n - T r a d . " Fasinatu/Fasinaliom fFah-sin-ah-to/Fah-sj]l-"A"-shun) Fancy words for hypnolism and other effects by w h i c h someone is forced to do another's W i l l . Feminazk CFem-ih-nazi) A n insulting term developed by Fundies and embraced, by bovine radio hosls as a calch-all for "Ultra-Feminists," Female separalists. Lesbians. Women w i t h educations beyond H i g h School, Democrats, Liberals and housewives w h o fall into the above categories. iTıe opposite of "Baiefoot and pregnant."
Kaatryn MatMftigan
(Floor-al-ee-a) A n ancient Roman toUval Beltane and dedicated lo N o r a , goddess of Flowers. • -I.-II.-I:
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F M T : Familial Maglckal Traditions. A more specific term for practioners o l non-Wiccan Fam-Trads, w h o d o not necessarily call themselves " w itches." Fun d a m E ntal i -.: (Fun-da-mental-ist) I.One w h o practices a form of Christianity or other religion where they a i t right and everyone else is wrong. 2. Religious Fxtremism- 3. A branch of Protestantism that has d i v i d e d into two sects and generally prefer to call themselves "bible based" or "Christ-centered" depending o n where they fall on their faith's split. Fundie/Fundy: (Fun-dee) A slang term for Fundamentalists. Rather insulting. Fulhark: (Foo-tliark) Tile name for and fiist six letters of many rime systems. G . U , D . : fgee-oh-dee) brom a George Bush Sr. speech, the " g o d " o l Christian agendaists, and its followers. U s e d to describe a person's affiliation with the Radical right, as In, "That politician has " G . O . D . " in his pocket. G a e l i c : fGay-lickJ 01 Ancient t i r e and some surrounding Islands. Although not synonymous, it is often used as " I r i s h " G a u lie/Gallic: (G'all-icj O f G a u L o t Ancient France. Geomancy: Igeo-mancy) Earth Magick. G e r r y ; Qer-rvJ Internet ülang lor Gerald Gardner and/or G a i d n e r i a n Wiccans, pretty impoiite.
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G n u met: see Elemental-. Paracelsus' C o l d e n B o u g h : fCkil-den h o w (Rhymes w i t h Sold Ben's Mistletoe. A l s o a fairly good book.
cow)
Great Rile, T h e : L i t r e ritual in w h i c h procreation is celebrated by the ritual sex. of the Priest and Priestess, also called the sacred marriageBest done in private. 2. The symbolic practice of placing a dagger w i t h i n a goblet is sometimes called a "symbolic great rite," but many groups refer to that as "the blessing of the waters." G r e e n M a n ; See Green, Jack C The, A l s o an organization/magazine for Pagan M e n G r e e n , )ack O ' The: The Wiccan G o d , or Green M a n , a figure often incorporated into the design of churches as a male face made of foliage. Originally the figure of a subgroup of Celtic mythology, the Green man as adopted Into W i c c a i s different enough to make h i m distinguishable from the Celtic gods he arose from. G r e e n , T h e : The L i v i n g Place of the Wiccan hunter god, also "Paradise." The Newsletter of UEWG r i m o i r e ; (Grimwaur) The book that includes all non-ritual information, particularlv metaphysical information. G r o v e : A sacred place, often a group or circle of trees. A group of Druids G u a r d i a n : (Gard-ee-n) One W h o watches o v e r something. G u a r d i a n s of The Quarters: A group of Spirits invoked in some Wiccan ceremonies to protect the circle. W h a l possible ritual would cali for such protection is beyond me- Often based on John l>e's
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"archangels" Or ParaCelSus's " e l e m e n t a l . " Those WnO d o nflf Incorporate Christian symbolism d o not regularly use those things. G u a r d i a n s of The Watchtowers: A strange occurrence In Wicca, I've yet to figure out what the Watch towers a n d spirits of Dr. John Dee and Edward Kelley's wurks have to d o with C a s t i n g a WiccanCircle...Sure enough, this appears to be an aspect o l Enochian Wicca, Enochian... W i c c a . . . " Don't ask me, 1 pust work here." i ..1 id Listing: A Pagan maniage adopted from ancient Greek and Horn/Womani/Gypsy rites. I (and parting: The end to a handfasling. I larpen A type of hard, a follower of I iarper Wicca. Harpy; [har-pce) A mythological creature used as a alternative for the Insult tliat rhymes with " w i t c h . " Heathen: (he-then) Literally: Dweller on the I Ieath. A Mon-ChrLstian. Henntheism: A form of polytheism in w h i c h many for all) gods are seen as existing, separate cutities. but o n l y one or a small number are honored- Most Wiccans are henotheists. Herbalist: One w h o studies Herbs and their uses. H e m e : (Hern) Sec Cernunnos H i g h Priestfessb In Universal Eclectic Wicca, one w h o leaches priest(esse}s. or an elder. A n U e w H i g h Priest has a m i n i m u m of ten years as a Wiccan Priest. In other Trads, a H i g h Priest(ess) is either a priestess of a very high degree or the coven leader. The use o l the term
32ft
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" H i g h Priest" really means little today w h e n 13 year old', can claim i i besides those who've earned i t Caveal contemptelor'. H o m o p h o b c : (Hoc-moc-lobe) One w h o can't deal with Homosexuals and Homosexuaiity Homosapiens: (hoe-moe-say-pea-ns) H u m a n beings. Homosexual: Technical term tor C a y a n d Lesbian people, Wiccans believe ihat no love is evil in and of itself (men have always done evil in the name of love, this makes the acts, not the L O V E evil.) We believe, that since no love is evii, any form of sexuality between consenting adults is a gi-od thing and can havu positive results. This in one o l the major reasons Wicca has a large, vocal and important Gay and lesbian community. A s a bise-ual w o m a n and priestess I've been told I'm confusing the issue. Other Hi. Gay a n d Lesbian people have told me similar stories. Here is clarification: "Some Wiccans are Homosexuals, some Homosexuals are Wiccans. not all Homosexuals are Wiccan. not all Wiccans are H o m o s e x u a l , any questions?" Horned G o d : Another name for the Wiccan hunler G o d . HF/HPs: H i g h Priest. H i g h Priestess. H P M S : A term from Ashleen O'Gaea's, The Family Wicca Book {Llewellyn. 1^2) for an HP<s) w h o needs a celestial knock off their high hnrse. Hydromancy:(Hi-dro-mancy) Water M a g i c k IC: (Eye see) [nner C h i l d , part of ITS. Imagery: !Jh-mah-dry) Ihe Sights described in guided visualization.
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Initiate: A Wiccan who : I I - i i ' i n initiated b a l n u l gone further. ;
Initiation: A mystery-like ri|e by w h i c h one gains entry inlo a tradition Ot COVCn. 1
Initiation, reciprocal: A process b y w h i c h a person who is n u l Initiated performs an initiation, and thai person i s ialer initiated by the person/people they initiated1
Initiation, Self: Often, sel f-i ni dations are impossible- The term is sometimes used synonymously with "dedication." Initiation, v i s i t i n g : A n inilialiun performed by a visiting priest ur by visiting another coven. Integrated Total S e l l : The first goal of a h u m a n being should be Fixing a Seif that is not integrated- W h i l e w e are b o m w i t h a " w h o l e " self, forces of childhood work to tear it apart, resulting i n an imbalance in emotional/mental/physical capacity. The ITS is the basis from w h i c h W i l l may be directed. Invoke: (Tjvvoke)Tu Magickally use, to p u t power into somethingITS: (its) Integrated Total Self. Kabbalah: (Varies, most common: kah-bai-la or ka-balla) A n ancient Hebraic M a g i r k a l system. There are literally dozens of phoneme spellings of this term! Karma: (ear-mah) Either the force w h i c h tallies your debts or the debts and payments of Karma, see The Five Points of Wiccan Belief, Chapter One. Book One.
i22
M\ Oac WiccB
A Greek term literally [ i i i M i L i i L ^ "going d o w n " (hat is used i n discussing the mythology and mystery rites to describe a real or symbolic descent into the underworld. I^.'MI' . V
Kitchen Witch: One w h o practices basic charms but not much else Magiekal. often a barn-Trad practitioner. Lammas: La-mas) Another name for Lu^hnasa. but Lammas is also the name o l one of the hour "Satanic Sabbaiths." so I avoid the use of it. Law, Crowley's: " D o what thou wilt s h a l l be the whole of the Law, Love is the L a w , Love under w i l l " (Thelemal Law, The W i c c a n o r The One: Ihe Wiccan Kede, " A n it harm none, do as you w i l l . " Left H a n d Path, The; N o t the path of " e v i l , " but the Selfish path, the Path of total absorption i n the fulfillment of the individual. L i m i n a l H o l i d a y s : any holiday that marks the beginning uf one season and the end of another. L & L : Love and Light, onllng slang. M f i l & p ) : Popular abbreviation for " M a g i c k In Theury and Practice" by Aleister Crowley, quite possibly the most olten quoted work of its type. It is the textbook of " M a g i r k 1 H i , " for many groups. Macrocosm: (Mac-row-cos-um)TlteGreater/ External world. Macrocosms Magickissaid to be impossible. M a g i c k : (Mab-jikJ The Dse of Personal an J Extra-Personal energies for various reasons. The habit of spelling it w i t h a k to distinguish it from stage magic was initiated by C r o w l e y and has a historical use nearly
100 years o l d . longer than several r u l e of American Grammar. Other spellings o l it have a less historical basis. Magus: {mah-jus) One w h o practices M a g i c k without the beuelit of a MoratCode,also"Mage." Maj(mJ, Majinf.fl: {Mage, Mah-zhin) One w h o practices Magick within a defined mural guideline. Called "karma-bailancers" Maj(in) d o services to tlte powers of G o o d or Evil to gain their powers, supposedly fictional. Mass, Black: A rite in some Satanic practice that p a m d y s Catholicism, not found i n Wicca. Matriarchy: fmay-tree-arc-ee) A "messed u p " system in w h i c h women are in charge and men are substandard, see- patriarchy. M a y p o l e ; A n ancient Pagan phallic s y m b o l danced around to this day to raise power and celebrate tile earth.. M u n i t i o n : (me-dee-a-shun) Stepping in-between the parties of an argument. M e d i t a t i o n : (rned-ili-lay -shun) Intentional and focused relaxation. M e d i t a t i o n , D y n a m i c : Meditation that la performed by a series of movements, as opposed to staying still. M e d i t a t i o n , Sialic: M e d i a t i o n that is performed while staving very still. M e r r y M e e l : (maxy meat) A Wiccan greeting, part o l " M e r r y Meet, Merry Part. Merry Meet again." M e r r y Part, See Merry M e e l
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M e r r y M e e l A g a i n , See M e r r y Meel M e t a p h y s i c i a n : fmet-a-physician}
One w h o works with what we
k n o w of Metaphysics. Melaphysicist: (Met-a-lLfz-issist) One w h o Studies Metaphysics by experimentation. Metaphysics: (met-a-lizz-ix) in the context of Wlcca and magick, that which is difficult In explain or has yet |o be " p r o v e n , " magnetism and gravity i » d to bo considered "metaphysics." M i c k e y Finn, M e t a p h y s i c a l : (met-a-fizj-ih-Lul mick-ee fin.) TO sneak a spell onto someone for their o w n good. M i c r o c o s m : (mike-roW'COS'Umf The inner, immediate world, where magic is most effectiveM i r r o r Book: i n the works o l the late Scott C u n n i n g h a m , a M i r r o r Book w£6 a personal journal. M M : M e r r y Meet M M A : M e r r y Meet A g a i n M o n o t h e i s m : f'he belief that there is only one god, whether that god is seen as the True C o d and others are seen n r raise, or all gods are actually a single god doesn't matter-it all gets d o w n to the idea of one g o d . Contrary to Ihe opinions o l some, most Wiccans are not monotheists w h o see all gods as aspects of one force, but polytheisis. M o o n Struck: To be dazzled, dazed and otherwise bewildered, causing one to act uncharacteristically.
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Miii.il
(more-ahl) A ruin
[if
conduct.
M lira l i l y : Thai which corresponds i n morals, a set of morals. M P ; M e r r y Part, good-bye. M u n d a n e , The; The secular and ordinary w o r l d Mystery; A members-only rile. In ancienl fallhs, by which one achieves the needed slate to have a proper or pleasant afterlife. In Wicea, any members only rite which achieves the purpose of advancemen! w i t h i n the circle or dedication to Ihe godsMystery faith: A n y religion In w h i c h membership is dependant u p o n Ihe participation in a mystery rite. M y s t i c : fmiss-tick) that w h i c h is unexplai Liable, one whopractices that which is Linexplaiiiablr:. N en-Pagan: fknee-oh-pay-gan) Literally a " n e w pagan." Considered a slight bit of a slur in the Wiccan set. N"eo-l'agan is a term often meaning " a n y one practicing a non-Christian religion 1 haven't heard of." Some argue that "neo-pagan" is appropriate to distinguish m o d e m Pagans from ancient Pagans. Since ancient Pagans d i d not refer to themselves as "Pagan," and no group, not even the Reconstructionisls. practice a purely ancient faith, this is a fairly silly concept. N e w A g e , T h e : Although n o w used b y many to mean anything Pagan/Wiccan/Occult. N e w A g e also serves as a slang term in Ihe conservative Christian church to describe all they feel is humanist, childish and/or romantic, including angels, crystals, Tarot and even Wicca. Also, The A g e "after" Aquarius.
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Numerology: fnuw-iHtr-ol-oh-goe) D i v i n i n g by H a l t i n g everything d o w n into numbers. Occultr (oh or uh-cult) Trial which cannot be seen or must be bidden, olten, in m o d e m usage, it means " N e w A g e " or "Satanic." O i m l i c ; {oymlic or ohmlic) Lmbole. O l d R e l i g i o n , The: One of tbe many terms LLsed to mean Wicca. A s Wioca is actually the n e w religion of old gods, this is an inaccurate term. O r d a i n s : A collection of laws and rules by w h i c h members of a Wiccan sect must abide. They may cover conduct outside ihe circle or just w i t h i n it. Pagan: (Pay-gan) Literally: Dweller in Ihe country. Non-Christianmember of a non'ievealed religion w h o self-identifies as such. Palmistry; See Cheiromancy Pantheim: (panth-ee-on) A group or family of G o d s of a culture. A building in Pome, or any temple dedicated to a group of godsPatriarchy; (pay-tree-arc-ee) A "messed u p " system where men are in charge and women are substandard. See Matriarchy. Patlem Work: fPal-urn wurk) Divination where Logic and psychic powers are combined w i t h visualization l o discover an outcome. Pentacle: fpen-ta-cle) A five pointed star portrayed three dimensionally, like a pendant or waK tablet. N"o modern culture has claim to using the pentacle "first." In Wicca originally, one point up represented the
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goddess and two points up represented tht- Horned G o d , bul in the eyes ol the less educated. M o d e r n Salanists adopt Two-point pentacle, and Wirca holds the other. The d i fferenre today is largely cosmetic- The Pentacle has also been used by earlier Christians as a symbol o l g o o d ' ness or the w o u n d s of Christ, so ihe concept o i it as a satanic or antiChristian svmbol is m o d e m and historical! y inaccurate. .' r tag:: m: A drawn or otherwise two dimensional pentacle. Phoenix: (Fee-nb) l . A mythological Firebird w h i c h burned itself out and was reborn, a popular dying king image. 2. One ol the warriors of Ihe Iliad, Pict: (similar to: picked) Ancient peoples of The British Isles character ized by their small, stature and dark eyes/hair. Thought to he the basis for Pixies and sprites. Polytheism: Tile worship of multiple gods. A l t h o u g h some Wiceans are monotheists. most are polytheists- M o r e specifically, they are henoand duo-theists. PriesHessh (pre-sst, pre-sstess) The leader of a coven or one w h o had dedicated their live?, to Wicca. Psyche: (sikey) A Goddess also, the part of the Self where Lie " m e n t a l " psychic powers (telepathy and the like) are said to beheld. Psychic: (sigh kick) One w h o has finely tuned their extra senses. N o t to be confused wirh Physics, one of the sciencesPyromaney: (pie-row-mancy) Fire Magick Kecon struct! on i s m : Keligions and s p i r i t u a l movements that attempt to recreate through historical observation where possible
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and educated guess where not, the i n d i g e n o u s religions lost hi history. Reconstruclionism itself Is not a religion, but a broad category o l religions ranging from ASHtTU to H e l l e n i c reconstruction and everything in-between. Where Wicca is a modern religion steeped In modern culture, Reconstructions! religions are attempts to recreate the culture specific religions of the past. Rede: (reed) A filter, moral, or basic standard. Sometimes used to mean " l a w " but such usage is inexact. See Wicean Rede; Wiccae. Kede olthe. Regenerative: (re-jen-nr-A-live) Giving relreshment or rebirth. re-energizing, reoeating. Reincarnation: fre-in car-nation) Being horn again into a new body. Relic; (Rel-ick) A physical item relating to something, often ancientReligious relics include lools and the like. Artifact Reverie; (Rev-er-ee) A state of intense relaxation necessary to the practice of Magick. R i g h t - H a n d Palb, The: path of total Selflessness, ihc Self-detrimental path of putting A l l else before the Self H i l u a l ; [Rit-you-alJ A sacred or repeated act. a Wicean Mass. R u n t fRoon) A symbol or letter, also a small piece o l w o o d , stone or shell with a letter o n it lor rune castingRune Casting: Picking Runes at random o r tossing them as an act o l divinalion.
Kaalryu MaıMtışaıt
3W
Sabbat: (sah-bat Of suh-boi) The eight m a i n holidays, See Days i l l Powex Sabbatihl: (sah-bath) Sec Sabbat S a i l e d Marriage: See Great Rite. Sacrifice: To give something up. i n Wicca, we sacrifice Wine, f i n d , money, trinkets, stones and time, b u l never, ever anything living. Saffron: fsafl-ron) A rare and sacred herb., also a fiery orange-ycllow color. Sage: (saygel 1. A n H e i h . 2. One with great knowledge, 3. A male
"cTone" S.iian: (say-fan) A G o d of Evil in the Judeo-Christian M y t h o s w h o plays, no part in Wicca. Satanism: (say-Ian-ism) A Jndeo-Christian Religion worshipping the [udeo-Christian G o d o l fcvii, Satan. A s iar from Wicca as one can get. Scry, To: (S'cry) To Look with mm-m Lindane means. Scrying: (S'crv-ing) A form of divination using reflective surfaces. Seeken (in IIFW) A Third Circle member of Universal Eclectic Wicca whose job is discovery, often a Meta physicist. Self, Total: See Integrated Total Self. Self, True: Very similar if not the same as ITS, that which controls W i l l .
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Shaman: (shah-mail Dt shay-man) A Pries! Of Spiritual ltfa.ri.ex of some indigenous religions. A few Wicean Priest(esse)s ace Shamans, [1 k n o w n l o n l y one.} hut most Shamans are not Wicean anri most Wiccans are not Shamans. A s a Wicean w i t h a way-back dash of Indigenous American blood, 1 get really steamed at both Wiccans w h o think thai they are Shamans and Shamanists w h o think that Wiccans have "stolen" from their Religion. So, here's my stand on the matter. ..First, What I tell m y Native American friends: " W b preach and leach oneness w i t h the land, and occasionally w e reach i t Sometimes, a Wicean gets out of hand and thinks that they actually a re a Shaman... but that's not the majority. Wc have bad to alter our religion for a new l a n d , where the spirits are not the same as our indigenous lands. This is nut an attempt to assimilate a culture." N o w , what I tell my other friends: " W i t h everything else that's been taken, religion is all that Native Americans have to hold on to. by watching the perversion of their religion; they're watching the lifeblood of culture drain away. They have the right to be angry." A n d now, my lake: " A l l religion is personal, if we share tniths then w e should celebrate that. N o line likes a fra ud, and a Shaman w h o isn't what (s)he claims is a fraud. Let's help to fix the land, and try to preserve what's left oE it from those w h o w o u l d do her more barm- The War isn't between us. but those w h o are defenders of The Mother and Father and those w h o stab them in the back. Religion is not an issue," S h a m a n i s m : f'he Practice of a Shaman, also an incorrect catchphrase for all indigenous religions. Shiela-na-gig: A n often e-plicit goddess figure depicted unchurches, said to have been originally carved by Pagans w l l o told the church that they were to ward off "goblins" and the like. S i c k l e : see lools. Book One
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S i g i l : A personal seal i n emblem w i t h a punch Of power, Sealsof Gods and dead Mages ace also In common usage. Signatures. Doctrine of: Largely discounted theory o n Herbalism by Christian monk. Jacob Boehme. w h o taught that the Abrahamic G o d marked every- plant w i t l i a sign for its use. Thus, a Kidney shaped plant helped the kidneys, or a liver shaped plant the liver. The Doctrine of Signatures lives on in the name of several plants, like Liverwort, but as a highly Christian belief, inseparable from its core religion, it really has no point in Wicca. S i m p l e feast: The Cakes and A l e potion of a ritual. I.nl: Clad in sky. naked. Skyrobe: The blue robe of a bard and some high druids. S p e l l : The Magickal method bv w h i c h o n e encharms and enchants. A short Magickal ritual. S p i r a l : The M o t i o n in and out of life. The double spiral, the double helix. D N A . S p i r a l Dante, T h e : 1-The motion of The C y c l i c Totality. 2- The Book by Starhawk Considered one of the greatest tomes of Di.mic Wicca. 3. A snake-iike dance performed at some rituals Spirituality: Beliefs, actions and more that enhance and iced the Spiritual part of the ITS. S l y p h : See Elemenlals, Paracelsus' Sympathetic M a g i c k : Like creating like. D o i n g a symbolic action to achieve a " r e a l " action.
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A l l Oac WiccH
Synchroncily: (Singck-row-nic-it-oe) Whtrri everything "clicks." the Study of Patterns. The Science of Sympathetic Magic, Talisman: (tahl-is-manj C h a r m ; Somediing w o r n with a Magickal property. Religious: A Symbol or item Srtered tor religious reasonsTotemic: A re lie of your family/elan's animal protector or your animal guide. Taro legist: (tar-al-oh-gistl A tarot reader. Artist, diviner Taiot: (Tarrow) A deck of cards used lor d i v i n a t i o n Thealogy: (Thea low gee) Feminine form rjf (the gender-neutral) term Theology Theban Script: The so-called Witches Alphabet, a common type of writing used by "traditionalist" and Gardnerian WiccansThelema: (Thel-ih-ma, or Theh-lame-aJ" D o what thou will shall be the Whole of the Law. Love is the Law, Love onder W i l l " See 93. Crowley's L a w Thelemite: (Thel-im-mite 01 Thelame-ilo) Wliat most Crowlcvists PREFER to be called. Theology: (The-al-o-gee] The study of C o d s , religion and cultures effected by them. Three-Fold Law, T h e : A variation of the L a w of Relurn where the retribution ratio is 3 to I. Three Paths, The: The three choices we are> given in " h o w to l i v e . " See Left H a n d Path, Right H a n d Path. Center Path.
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Touched by (he C o d s : Insane Trad: Trad iiion T r a d i t i o n : A sect of Wicca and some other forms of Paganism- The use of tradition as. "sect" is not a new use, nor is " n e w tradition." an oiymoron. Tree of Life, the; A diagram representing the A l l in Kabbalah, also the companion tree lo Ihe Tree o l knowledge in the " A d a m and E v e " M y t h . Also Yggdrasil. The name fur agave and a number of other trees" Triformis: (Try-form-is) The Triple Goddess concepi, often Hecate, Selune and Diana/Artemis. Pare. Often. TrilorrnLs is n o l portrayed as one goddess but three distinct figures that rcflcel the three stages o l life, Trilormis is oflen portrayed as maiden, mother and crone, hut also is represented by daughter, wife and whore. Trump: A single card of the major Arcana. Trump, To: ( A s a die-hard Ian of the late Roger 7ela7ny's A m b e r novels, (nearly fainted w h e n someone used this w o r d this way in front of me, although that person had never read a single A m b e r book, I k n o w that A m b e r M U S T be from whence this came.) To use a Tarot Card (or picture) as a focus for telepathic communication, also called "Pbntomentalism" or "Photopalhy." UFOlogisI: {youn?ff-al-o-gistj One w h o studies UPO'sUncle A l : Aleister Crowley, slang. U n d i n e : See Llementals. Paracelsus'
Hi
M\ Oac Wicca
".. nderworld: Hell. Hades, the " w a i l i n g m o m " of the after life, this varies from culture to culture. Vibes: From vibration, perceived "heelings" off of
somconc/somc-
thing.,."good vibes" " b a d vibes." Visualization: Pictures and sensations created in the mind. Walpulgisnacht: (Varies: Val-pur-gis-noct} The night before Beltane Warlock; What y o u should never call a male Wreean. It means " O a t h breaker." There is a small movement to- " r e c l a i m " the word- Like Witch, this w o r d never historically meant a positive thing, but those claiming the w o r d , and giving it a new meaning, have as much a right to do so as any group seeking to redefine a w o r d . Wafchtowers: In The "Enochian" Magickal tradition founded by John Dee, the "ultimate" of each direction. These Watehtowers, of the: four compass points, each house, or are ruled by, anAbrahamie "Archangel," I am very uncomfortable with incorporation of Enocbiana into Wicca by the non-initiate ol the hnochian path. Way of The Wise; Another term for Wicca. and also for Witchcraft. Webweaving: " W i t c h y " and Feminist term for N e t w o r k i n g W F E C r W F E C s : Wicca n-Flavored F*-Chris|iani ty, Wircan-Flavored FxChristians. See "Efc-Christianlty" Wicca: (wick-ah. weesb-a, Vee-ka) Wicca is the Religion this book is about, also the masculine singular form of a w o r d for " W i t c h . " Like fish. folk, or deer, the plural of W i c c a , used in this form is " W i c c a " as in " O n e of the Wicca." It may he used as a synonym for "Witchcraft" but
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all VVItche* an? not Wiccan,. a n d all Wiccans d o not use tin: term "Witch." Wiece: (Wieh, wick-ell. Vec-sh) Wicce Is the feminine singular of a weird for "Witch-" L i k e fish, folk, or deer, the feminine plural of Wicce, used in this form is "Wicce"' as in "Sisterhood o l the Wicce."' Wicca CrafI: Another term for Wicca. Wiccae, Rede of T h e ; Faith pi>em of a specific tradition often confused with the eight word long Wleean rede. T h e use of "Wreeac" to indicate plurality is unique to this poem (by A.Porter) and tradition specificWicca, is, of course, a masculine singular w h e n used to indicate a person, so the use of a Latin leminlne plural, w h i l e interesting and valid, is certainly not bistorirai or ancient Wiccan: (Wick-en) O f the religion of Wicca. A Practioner of Ihe Religion of Wicca. Wiccan Laws; see " O r d a i n s " Wiccan Rede: " A n it harm none, d o as y o u w i l l - " Wicklier-lhan-thou: The Wiccan Equivalent of "holier than thou," someone playing games of one-upmanship. Widdersh ins: C o n nterrlockwise. W i l l T h e : Force of Self, the " f u e l " of MagickWitch: A term for a Wiccan but also a term for practioners of Familial Magic led Traditions (FMT) and practionejrs of a l l forms of magick. including ceremonial magick. Some Salanisls use die term to describe themselves, as well, and Ihey have as much right to as any Wiccan.
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Witchcraft: The "Cfait" of any person or g r o u p referring to thumselves a* Witches. Witchcraft. Operative: One of Margmet M u r r a y ' s two forms of Witchcraft, operative witchcraft is the non-religious practice of spells, charms, riiv illation, invocations and evocations, as opposed to the practice of religion, Wicca is N O T Operative Witchcraft, though many Wiocans practice forms of operative Witchcraft. Witchcraft, R i t u a l : (See Witchcraft, O p e r a t i v e ! Ritual Witchcraft is the term Margaret M u r r a y used for those practices common to Wicca, the celebration of the gods and cycle of the seasons, Wicca is one type of Ritual Witchcraft of many. Witch W a n A dispute between coven leaders, very often silly things w i t h episodes of " I ' m gonna w a r d y o u right off this plane/' Wo real, self-respecting Wiccan over the age of four participates in oneWort C u n n i n g : Literally: Herb knowledge. Xtian/Xian: {ex-jin) Abbreviation for C h r i s t i a n . The Earliest use of w h i c h I've found was in a reprint of one o f H-RBlavatsky's writingsUsed even today in Christian schools a n d in the writings of many Greek monks. X i a n is not. and has never been anything but an abbreviation. It is not an offense to Christianity save by those w h o are offended by other Christians. Yggdrasil:fyaries:igg dra'Sil)The Scandinavian Tree of Life that holds everything together93: {ninety-three) The N u m b e r of the W o r d of the L a w that is Theiema, used as a greeting by on-line Crowieyisbs and people w h o want lo solicit a " h u h ? "
Book Five: Appendices and Helps
The Contents o l this section of this hook are eclectic in their o w n right. W h e n I created the tour categories that b&came Ihı- books w i t h i n A i l One Wicca. these things leil into the category of " N o n e o( the above." Ar Journal Pondcranees R: The Constitution o i the United States o l America C : Amendmunts to the Constitution V: Kegistering to vote E: The Principles of Wiccan Belief H:The complete Charter of RcllgiomOlhcr, The rVew York Pagan Alliance C ; Two Versions o l The Charge of The Goddess and a Charge of The God 11: internet Resonrce G u i d e I: 50 Basic Concepts a U L W Wiccan Learns i n the hirst and Second Circle
Appendix A : Journal Ponderances
These fifty-two journal ponderances, if written about one a week for a year in fhe journal, w i l l either make y o u insane, or turn yon info an essayist, no! that Ihere is a b i g difference. The main point of Ihe&e topics is io give y o u something l o w riteabou I when you arc stuck, to help you train your m i n d io challenge reality i n your writing#1: What color eyes does the G o d / G o d d e s s have? W h y ? Why can't you answer this question if y o u can't? #2: b i n d a new meaning for the w o r d " O x y m o r o n . " "y. What sound does starlight make? #4: If y o u Could defy gravity at w i l l , what w o u l d y o u do? #5: D e f i n e ' B l u e . " #&. Describe, using as few words as possib le, what Wiccan is. #7: Write a freeform poem about your loot. #fi Read your last journal entry, contradict it #9; Is it just that the G o d s have run out of extras in y o u life? O r is that man everywhere y o u go? #10: What w o u l d the ideal civilization be? #11; If the government had to h o l d a bakesale to buy a bomber, and had the best brownies in the w o r l d , w o u l d y o u buy one? #12: What if dogs really are that stupid? What If cats are smarter tiian us? #13: What if the w o r l d reaily isn't round? #14: What animal would vou like to be? _i
#15: ff w e could understand the d o l p h i n , what w o u l d it tell us? 339
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#16: H o w does/would Chrisl feel about Christianity? #17: If y o u walk around a comer, and bumped into your favorite Wiccan author, especially a dead DTK...whal w o u l d y o u say? fflfk Tell ilic biggest lie in lire w o r l d . #19: Visualize W o r l d Piece (Yes, that's spelled right). #20:It can't be that bad...can it? #21: Write a shorl story about yourself, don't use the words I, You, me, they, myself or your name. #21: What Is the sound ol one hand clapping, played backwards through a midi-capable synthesi7er w i t h echo and distort? #72; W h y does A w f u l mean awful? #23: W h o invented Bacon? #24: If all the reallv horrible criminals have middle names, maybe we shouldn't give m i d d l e names to our children. #2S: A r r i w is Wicca spelled backwards. #26: What is the meaning oi tree? #27What if all electricity stopped w o r k i n g ? #23: Poof! y o u no longer are human.. .what are you? #29: Is diere life on other planets? #30: W h y is " l i g h t ? " #31: If y o u found out y o u were wrong, what w o u l d y o u say to the Christian God? #32; What do you call a Mercy-go-round f u l l of screaming kids? #33: Contemplate immortality. #34: If [ w o n a billion dollars. I w o u l d . . . . #35:Write a poem about clouds. #3fv Answer the question, " w h y ? " #37: Answer the question " w h v ? " This lime, don't use the w o r d "because" #33: You have all the authors of all the books o n Wicca and Metaphysics o l the past Two H u n d r e d years gathered around a table. What are they doing, and w h o wins the food fight? #39:What is the point o l pointing? #40: Maybe you're dreaming.
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#41: Maybe someone else is die a mtng. #42: The w o r l d Is going to end in 3.5 seconds. #43:What does love feel like (don't use words that R I P emotions, or body parts.) #44: Write a poem about a man walking through a wasteland, from a buzzard's point of view. #45: What w o u l d the Environmentalists say if we discovered that a new endangered species, the dragon, was terrorizing cities? #46: What i i Hitler w o n World War Two? #47:What if you were teleported into Salem. 1 f>92, o n G a l l o w s H i l l ? #48; W o u l d the King've noticed his daughter's disappearances if they'd w o r n out tennis shoes inslead o f dancing shoes? #49: A n act of Gods, War and law makes y o u Q u e e n / K i n g of England... #5fl It was a dark and stormy night. #51: Begin ashortstorv with "I w i l l never lorgct the time 1..." binish it with "cheesecake/ #52: Describe chocolate. 1
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A p p e n d i x B: The Constitution of The United States of America
It is impossible for an American Wiccan to be fully secure in his k n o w l edge of his/her rights under ihc law in the United Slates, without knowledge o l the Constitution, I w i s h c o u l d say thai I'd never heard an noti-whatever group attempt to abuse the Constitution out there, hut the lact is, if y o u don't k n o w your righls, you've already given at least one right away. Leam this, memorize it, thump it harder than a Bible ihumper thumps his Bible. This is the shared " r e l i g i o n " o l The United Stares. A s 1 am fascinated w i t h language, I've left alone the seemingly random capitalization o l the Constitution, and maintained many of the spellings used in the original.
Constitution of Ihe United States We the People of the United States, in O r d e r lo form a more porlcct U n i o n , establish lustice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the . • .1 • • • •: - defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution lor the U n i t e d Slates of America.
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Article L Section 1- A l l legislative Towers herein granted shall he vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. Section 2. Tile House of Representatives shall be Composed of Members chosen every second Year by ihe People of the several Stales, and the Electors i n each Stale shall have the- Qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous Branch of the Stale Legislature .No Person shall he a Representative w h o shall not have allained to Ihe age of twenty five Years, and been seven years a Citizen of ihe United States, and who shall not, w h e n elected, b e a n Inhabitanl of that State in w h i c h he shall be chosen. Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the sev eral Stales which may be included w i t h i n this Union, according lo their respective Numbers, w h i c h shall be determined b y a d d i n g to Ihe whole N u m b e r of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians n o i taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years alter llteiirst Meeting of the Congress o l the United Stales, and w i t h i n every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The N u m b e r of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each Slate shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the Stale of N e w Hampshire shall be entitled tochuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations r o e , Connecticut five, N e w York six, N e w Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, M a r y l a n d six, Virginia ten. N o r t h C a r o l i n a five. South Carolina five, and Georgia three. W h e n vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive A u t h o r i t y thereol shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.
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The House oí Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and. other Officers; and shall have ihe sole Power of Impeachment Section 3. The Senate of ihe United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for sin Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote. Immediately after they shall be assembled in t.onsenuence of the first election, they shall be d i v i d e d as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seals of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the b*piradon of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of ihe fourth Year, and the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third rOav be chosen everv second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Kecess of the legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, w h i c h shall then fill such VacanciesN o Person shall be a Senator w h o shall not have attained to the A g e of thirty Years, and been nine Years a C i t i z e n of Ihe United States and w h o shall not. when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall bechosen-
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally d i v i d e d . The Senate shall cbuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence oi the Vice President, or w h e n he shall exer cise the Office of President of the United States. The Senate shall have the sole Power to t i y ail [mpeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. W h e n the President o l the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside:
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A n d no Person shall be conv icled wtthfrUt the Concurrence Of twO thirds o l the Members present. Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to h o l d and enjoy any Office of Honor, Trust or Profit under the U n i t e d Stales: but the Parly convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment. Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law. Section 4- The Times, Places and M a n n e r of h o l d i n g Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but Ihe Congress may a l any time by L a w make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places o l chusing Senators. The Cnngnp&s shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such M e e t i n g s h a l l b e o n the first M o n d a y in December, unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day. Section 5. Each House shall be the Judge o f the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its o w n Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Q u o r u m to do Business; but a smaller N u m b e r may adjourn from day to day. and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, In such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provideEach House may determine the Rules of Us Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour and, w i t h the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member. Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings; and I com lime to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and N a y s of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal-
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Neither House, during the Session of Cungiess. shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn tor more than three days, nor to arty other Piare than that in which the two 1 louses shall be sitting. Section 6- The Senators ano! Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law. and paid out of the Treasury of the United Stales- They shall i n all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace., be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate In either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place. N o Senator or Representative shall, d u r i n g the Pune for w h i c h he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, w h i c h shall have been created, or the Fmohrments whereol shall have been encreased d u r i n g such time: and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either H o u s e d u r i n g bis Continuance i n Office. Section 7. A l l Bills for raising Revenue s h a l l originate in the i louse of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur w i t h Amendments as on other Bills. Every Bill w h i c h shall have passed the H o u s e of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a L a w . b e presented to the President of the United States;if he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it. with bis Objections to that I louse in which it shall have originated, w h o shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by w h i c h it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that I louse, it shall become a Law. E u l in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined b y Yeas and N a y s , and the Names of the Persons voting for and
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against Ihı: Bili shall be entered on the Journal ı>f each House respec tively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented In h i m , the Samp shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shell nut bea Law. Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to w h i c h the Concurrence o l the Senate and House of Representatives m a v be necessary [except on a question o l Adjournment) shall be presented to the President o l the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by h i m , or being disapproved by h i m , s h a l l be repassed by two thirds o l the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case o l a B i l l . Section 8. The Congress shall have P o w e r To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, lo pay the Debts and provide for the com m o n Defence and general Wellare of the U n i t e d States; but all Duties. Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; To borrow M o n e y o n the credit of the U n i t e d Stales; To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several Slates, and w i t h the Indian Tribes; To establish an u n i f o r m Rule of Naturaligation, and uniform Laws o n the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United Stales; To coin Money, regulate Ihe Value thereof, and of for eign C o i n , and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures.; To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current C o i n o l the United States; To establish Post Offices and post Roads; Tn pro mote Hie Progress of Science and useful A r l s . by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries; To constitute Tribunals inferior lo the supreme C o u r t To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the h i g h Seas, and Offences against the L a w of Nations; To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Keprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water; To raise and support Armies, but no
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Appropriation of M o n e y to that Usu shall be luc a longer Term Ihan. two Years; To provide and maintain a N a v y ; To make Rules lor the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forres; To p n w i d e for calling; lorth the M i l i t i a to execute the L a w s of the U n i o n , suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the M i l i t i a , and for governing such Pari of them as may be employed i n the Service of the U n i t e d States, reserving io the Stales respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the M i l i t i a according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles, square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United Stales, and to exercise like Authority over ail Places purchased by the Consent o l the Legislature of the Slate in which the Same shall be, for the P r e d i o n of Forts, Magazines. Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful B u i l d i n g s ; — A n d To make all L a w s w h i c h shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers, vested by this Constitution i n the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Section 9. The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the Stales n o w existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed o n Such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars lor each Person. The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas C o r p u s shall not be suspended, unless w h e n in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it. No Bill of Attainder or e- post facto L a w shall be
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N f i Capitation. OT other direct. Tax shall be laid, u n l ^ in Proportion hi the Census or Enumeration herein before d[reeled to be taken. No Tax or Duty shall be laid o n Articles exported from any Stale. No Preference shall be given by .my Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Porte of one Stale over ibose of anodier: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one Stale, be obliged to enter, clear or pay Duties in another. No M o n e y shall be d r a w n from the Treasury, b u l in Consequence of Appropriations made by L a w ; and a regular Statement and Account of Receipts and Expenditures of all public M o n e y shall be published from time to time. No Title ol Nobility shall be granted by the United States: A n d no Person holding any Office of Profil or Trusl under them, shall, without the Consent i»f the Congress, accept of any present Emolument, Office, or Title, o l any kind whatever, from any K i n g , Prince, or loreign StaleSeclion Id. N o State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin M o n e y ; emit Dills of Credit; make any T h i n g but g o l d and silver Coin a Tender i n Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post faclo Law, or Law impairing the Obligation o l Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility. No State shall, without the Consent o l ihe Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what maybe absolutely necessary for executing its inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any Stale on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Control o l Ihe Congress.
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N f i State S h a l l without thı; Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War L i l i m e of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compart with another State, ur with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, o r in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delayArticle II Section 1- The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall h o l d his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together w i t h the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows: Farh State shall appoint, in surb M a n n e r as tbe legislature thereof may direct, a N u m b e r of Electors, equal to the whole N u m b e r o l Senators and Representatives lo w h i c h the Stale may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office o l Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector. The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persona, of w h o m one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State w i t h themselves.And they s h a l l make a List of all the Persona voted for, and of the N u m b e r of Votes for each; w h i c h List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the GOveflUftelıt of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate s h a l l i n the Presence of die Senate and House of Representatives, open ali the Certificates, and the Votes shall then b* counted. The Person having the greatest N u m b e r of Votes shall be the President, if such N u m b e r be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one w h o have such Majority, and have an equal N u m b e r of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballol one of
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them lor President; arid if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highes! on the List the said House s h a l l in like Manner chuse ihe President. But in (busing the President, the Votes .shall he taken hy Stales, the Representation from cach5talc having one Vote; A q u o r u m for this Purpose shall consist o l a Member o r Members Irom two thirds o l the Slates, and a Majority of all Ihe States shall be necessary lo a Choice. In every Case, alter the Choice o l the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes o l the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain t w o or more w h o have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse Irom them b y Ballot the Vice PresidentThe Congress may determine the Time o l e h u s i n g the Electors, and the Day on w h i c h they shall give their Votes; w h i c h Day shall be the same throughout the United States. No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the A d o p t i o n o l this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of Presidenl; neither shall a n y Person be eligible to that Office w h o shall not have attained to the A g e of thirty live Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident w i t h i n the U n i t e d Stales. In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may byLflw provide for the Case of Removal, Death. Resignation or Liability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until die Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected. The President shall, at slated Times, receive lor his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encxeased nor diminished d u r ing the Period for w h i c h he shall have been elected, and he shall not
receive within trial Period any other Emolument frum the U n i t e d Stales, or any of them. Before he enter on the Execution of his Olfice, he shall take the follow¬ ing Oath or Affirmation:—"1 do solemnly swear (or affirm) that 1 w i l l faithfully execute the Off ice of President o l the United Stales, and w i l l to the best of m y Ability, preserve, protect a n d defend the Constitution of the United States." Section 2-The President shall he C o m m a n d e r in Chief of the A r m y and N a v y of the United Stales, and of the M i l i l i a of the several Stales, w h e n called into the actual Service of the United Slates; he may require the O p i n i o n , in w r i t i n g , of the principal Officer i n each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United Slates, except in Cases of ImpeachmentH e shall have Power, by and w i t h the A d v i c e and Consent of the Senate, lo make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and w i t h the A d v i c e and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of ihe supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and w h i c h shall be established by L a w : but the Congress may by L a w vest the Appointment of such inferior Oflicers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of l a w , or in the Heads of Departments. The President shall have Power to fill up nil Vacancies that may happen d u r i n g the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions w h i c h shall expire at Ihe End of their next Session.
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Section 1 i le shall from bime to time give t o the Congress Information o l Lhe Slate of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, n n extraordinary Occasions, convene holli Houses, or cither o l them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, w i t h Respect to Lhe Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the L a w s be faithfully e.ecuted, and shall Commission all the Officers of (he United States. Section4. The President. Vice President and till civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of. Treason. Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Article III Section 1. The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as lhe Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices d u r i n g good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensadon, w h i c h shall not be diminished during their Continuance In Office. Section 2. The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in L a w and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or w h i c h shall be made, under their Authority;—|o all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;—to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;—lo Controversies to w h i c h tile United St.ites shall be a Party;—lo Controversies between two or more Slates,—between a Stale and Citizens of another Stale;—between Citizens of different Slates;— between Citizens of the same State c l a i m i n g Lands under Grants of
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different Stales, and between a State, Of the Citizen*, thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects. In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, otltcr public Ministers and Consuls, and those in w h i c h a Slate shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make. The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases o l Impeachment, shall be by fury; and such Trial shall he held in the Stale where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but w h e n not committed within any Stale, lhe Trial shall be a l such Place or Places as the Congress may by L a w havedirectedSeclion 3. Treason against the United Stales, shall consist o n l y in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them A i d and Comfori- N o Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses lo the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court. The Congress shall have !*ower l o declare the Punishment of Treason, bui no Attainder of Treason shall w o r k Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
Article IV Section 1. Pull Paith and Credit shall be g i v e n in e t c h State to the public Acts. Reconis, and judicial Proceedings of every other Slate. A n d the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in w h i c h such Acls, Records, and Proceedings s h a l l be proved, and the t i l e d thereof-
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Section 2. The Citizens of each State shall be entitled tu all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens In the several States. A Person charged in any State w i t h Treason, Felony, or cither C r i m e , w h o shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive' Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered u p , io be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime. N D Person held to Service or Labor in tine Stale, under the Laws thereof, escaping Into another, shall, i n Consequence of any L a w or Regulation therein, he discharged from such Service or Labor, hut shall be delivered up on C l a i m of the Party lo w h o m such Service or Labor may be due. Section 3. N e w States may be admitted by the Congress into this U n i o n ; hut no new States shall be formed or erected w i t h i n the Jurisdiction of any other Stale; nor any State he formed by the Junction o l two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of Ihe Legislatures of the Stales concerned as w e l l as of Ihe Congress. The Congress shall have Power to Rules and Regulations respecting belonging to the United States; and be so construed as to Prejudice any any particular State.
dispose of and make all needful the Territory or other Property nothing in this Constitution shall C l a i m s of Ihe United States, or of
Section 4. The United Slates shall guarantee to every State lit this U n i o n a Republican F o r m of C o v e r n m e n I, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on A p p l i c a t i o n o l the Legislature, or of the Executive (when Ihe Legislaiure c a n n o l be convened) against domestic Violence.
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Article V The Congress, whenever IwO thirds of hnth T iouses shall deem ¡1 nec essary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several Slates, shall t a l l a Convention fur proposing Amendments, whieh, in either Case, shall be valid to all Inlents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures o l three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or Ihe oilier M o d e of Ratification may he proposed hy the Congress; Frovided that no Amendment whieh may be made prior lo the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any M a n n e r affeel ihe firsi and fourth Clauses in die N i n t h Suction of the first Article; and thai no Slate, w i t h oul ils Consent, shall be deprived of lis eqtiaI Suffrage lit die Senale.
Article V J A l l Debts conlracled and Engagements entered inlo. belore the A d o p t i o n of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the U n i t e d States under t h i s C o n s d l u t i o n . as under the Confederation. This Constitution, and [he Laws of the U n i t e d States whieh shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or w h i c h shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the fudges i n every State shall be bound thereby, any T h i n g in the Constitution or Laws o l any Slate to the Contrary notwithstanding. The Senators and Representatives before menliimed. and die Members of the several Slate Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, berth of the United Stales and o l the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Allirntatinn, to support this Constitution; bul no
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!CJigiû|T> Tetl shall evet be required asa Qualification to any Olfice ar public Trusi under i h e L ' n l l e d Slates.
Article V i l The Ra.liika.tLon o l the Conventions of nine Slates, shall be sufficient for the Establishment o l this Constitution between the States so ratify ing the Same. Done in Convention by Ihe Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in Ihe Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United Stales of A m e r i c a the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names, Ceorge Washington
President and deputy irom Virginia
N e w Hampshire: John Langdon, Nicholas O i l m a n Massachusetts: Nathaniel Çorbanı. R u l u s K i n g Connecticut: W i l l i a m Samuel Johnson. Roper Sherman Mew York: Alexander H a m i l t o n N e w Jersey: William Livingston, D a v i d Brearly, W i l l i a m I'alerson, Jimalhan Dayton Pennsylvania: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas M i f f l i n , Robert Morris, George Clymer, Thimias FitzSi moils, Jarcd IılgCrsOİl. James Wilson. Gouverneur M o r r i s Delaware: George Head, G u n n i n g Bedford. Jr., John Richard Bassett. Jacob Broom
Dickinson,
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M a r y l a n d : Jafnßt MeHertry, Daniel uf Saint ThomâS Jertiier. Daniel Carroll Virginia: John Blair. J¡imc& Madison, Jr. North Camlına. Will ¡.un Bk>Luıt. Ridiard Dubbs Spaight, I iugli Willi.nrL.miii South Carolina: Jahn Rutletige. Charles O i t e s w o r t h Pincknuy, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler Georgia: William Few, Abraham B a l d w i n
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Appendix C : Amendments to the Constitution of the United States,
A m e n d men! I Congress shall m i k e no law respecting an establishment o l religion, »r prohibiting the Iree exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or oE the press; or Ihe righl of the people peaceably to assemb l y and to petition the Government lor a redress o l grievances. Amendment II A well regulated M i l i t i a , being necessary t o Ihe security of a free Slate, the right of the people to keep and bear A r m s , shall nut be in fringed Amendment 111 N o Soldier shall, in time o l peace be quartered i n any house, without Ihe consent of the Owner, nor in lime of war, but in a manner l o b e prescribed by law. A m e n d menl TV The right of the people lo be secure in tlieir persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches a n d seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported
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by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and fhe persons or things to be seized. A m e n d men! V N o person shall be held lo answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a G r a n d Jury, except i n cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in die M i l i t i a , when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal esse to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or properly, without due process of law; nor shall private properly be taken for public use. w i t h out just compensation. Amendment V I In all criminal prosecutions,
ihe accused shall enjoy the right to a
speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the Slate and district wlierein tile crime shall liave been comrniIted, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and l o be informed of die nalure and cause of the accusation: lo be conf ronte d w i t h the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process lor obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defenseAmendment V|| In Suits al Common law, where the value in contmversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right o l trial by jury s h a l l be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-e-a mined in any C o u r t of the United Stales, than according to the rules of the common law. Amendment VIII Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
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Amendment İX The enumeration İn ihe Constitution, of certain rights, shall not he construed tn deny or disparage others retained hy the people. A mend men I X The powers no* delegated to tiro United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited hy it to the States, are reserved to the Slates respectively, or to the people. Amendment XI The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United Slates bv Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign Stale. Amendment XII The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President one of w h o m , at least, shall not be an inliabitant of die same state w i t h themselves; they shall name in their bal kits the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the per son voted for as Vice-President, and ihey shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Viee1*1*^10^^1, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and cerlify. and transmit sealed to Ihe seat of the government of the United Stales, directed to the President of the Senate;—The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of RepresentaHves. open all the certificates nnd the votes shall then be counted; the person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding tiiree on the llsl of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from
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each stale having one vote; a quorum for this purptKK? shall consist of a member or members from two-thinis o l the states, and a majority ol all the states shall he necessary If a choice. A n d if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever ihe right o l choke shall devolve upon them, helorelhe fourth day of March next folkiwing. dien tlie Vice-President shall act as President, as in tlie case o l the death or other constitutional disability of the President—The per son having the greatest number of voles as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, i i such number be a majority o l the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person haveai majority, then f m m the two highest numbers o n ihelist. the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quonirn for the purpose shall consist of two-lhirds o l the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vire-Presid ent of the United States. A mend men I XIII Section l . K e i t l l e r slavery nor iilvoluntary servitude, e»Cept as a punish ment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appro priate legislation. Amendment X I V Section I. A l l persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens o l the United States and o l the State wherein they reside. N o State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United Stales; nor shall any Slate deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; ilor deny to any persim within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole n u m ber of persons in each State,excluding Indians not taxed. But when the
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right to vote di any e İti: t Lort lor the choice of electors for President and Vice President of die United Stales. Kepiesentatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officen. of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of ihe male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years o l age, and citizens o l the United Stales, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, Ihe basis o l representation therein s h a l l be reduced in ihe pro portion w h i c h the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens Iwenty-one years o l age in such State. Section 3. K o person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any olfice, civil or military, under the United Slates, or under any Slate, w h o , having pre viously laken an oath, as a member o l Congress, or as an officer of the United Stales, or as a member of any ^jtale legislature, or as an execu tive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of Ihe United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House-, remove such disability. Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United Stales, author ized by law, including debts incurred foe payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. Rut neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United Slates, or any c l a i m for the loss or emanci pation of any slave; but all Such debts, obi igalions arid claims shall be held illegal and void. Section The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions o l this article. Amendment X V Section 1. The right of citizens of the U n i t e d States to vole shall not be denied or abridged by the United Stales or by any Stale on account of race, color, or previous condition o l servitude.
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Section 2. The Congress shall have pOWer in enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Amendment X V I The Congress shall have power to Jay a n d collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several Slates, and withoul regard to any census of enumeration. Amendment XVII The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each Slate, elected by the people thereof, for s i ' years: and each Senator shall have one vole. The electors i n each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures. When vacancies happen in the representa Hon of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to (ill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower tile executive tllcieof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct. This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as pari o l the ConstitutionAmendment X V f f l Section 1. After one year l o r n the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation o l intoxicating liquors w i t h i n , the importation thereof into.or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject lo the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibiledSeCtiort 2. The Congress and the several Stales sliall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislationSection 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the
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baverai Stales, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years iront (he date of the submission hereol to the Slates by the Congress. Amendment X I X The right of citizens o l the United Stales to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United Stales or by any State on account o l sex. Congress shall have p o w e r to enforce t h i s article b y appropriate legislation. A m e n d men I X X Section I. Tlie terms of the President and Vice President shall end a l noon on ihe 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives a l noon on the 3d day of January, o i the years in w h i c h such terms would have ended if this article had n o l been ratilied; and the lerms of their successors shall Ihen be^-io. Section 2. The Congress shall assemble a l least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3 d day of January, unless they shall by law a p p o i n t a different d a y Section 3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have d i e d , the Vice President elect shall become President. If a Piesident shall not have been chosen before the Mme fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed lo qualify, then tlie Vice President elect sliall acl as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring w h o shall then act as President, or the manner in which one w h o is |o act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualifiedSeclion 4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of tlie death of any of the persons from whom the H o u s e of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right uf choice shall have devolved upon ihem, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from
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whuirt the Senate may ctunise a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved u p o n l h e m . Section S. Sections. 1 and 1 shall take effecton the 1J5th day of October following the ratification of this article. Section 6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of threcfourths of the several States w i t h i n sever* years from the date of its subrn ission. Amendment XXL Section 1- The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed. Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for d e l i v e r y or use therein of intoxicating I iquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited. Section i . This article shall he inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to die Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof i o the States by the Congress. Amendment XXII Section 1- N o person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person w h o lias h e l d the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to w h i c h some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President w h e n this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person w h o may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within w h i c h this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President d u r i n g the remainder of such term. Section 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths
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of Ihe several States within m - c n years from the date of its sobmission hi the Stales by the Congress. Amendment XXIII Section 1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United Stales shall appoint in such .1.11 i n as the Congress may direct: A number o l electors o l President and Vice President equal lo the whole number o l Senators and Representatives in Congress lo w h i c h ihe Distriel w o u l d be entitled i l it were a Stale, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the 5tales, b u l tltey shall be considered, lor the purposes o l the election of President and Vice President, lo be electors appointed by a Slate; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by ihe twelfth article of amendment. Section 2. The Congress shall have p o w e r to eninrce this article by appropriate legislation. Amendment X X I V Section 1- The right of citizens of the U n i t e d States to vote in any p r i mary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any Stale by reason of lailure to pay any poll tax or other tax. Section 2. The Congress shall have p o w e r l o enlorce this article by appropriate legislation. Amendment X X V Section 1. In case of Hie removal ol the President from office or o l his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President, Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take oifice upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses o l Congress. Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tentpore of the Senate and the Speaker of |he House of Representatives, bis
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Written dedUlflPOfi that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties o l his oflice. and until he transmits l o them a written declaration to the contrary; such powers and duties shall he discharged hy the Vice President as Acting President. Section 4- Whenever the Vice President a n d a majority of either Ihe principal officers o l tlic executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the- I louse of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office a s Acting President. Thereafter, w h e n the President transmits to the President pro tempore o l Ihe Senate ant3 the Speaker of the I louse of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties o l his office unless the V i c e President and a majority o l either the principal officers o l die executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit w i t h i n four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate arid the Speaker o l the House o l Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eighl hours for that purpose if not in session- Tf the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of me Litter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by Iwo-lhi rd s vote of both I louses that die President is unable to discharge the powers and duties o l his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume die powers and duties of his office.
Amendment X X V I Section l . T h e right of citizens of the U n i t e d Stales, who are years o l age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State o n account of age.
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Section 2. The Congress shall have Ihe p o w e r lu enforce this article by appropriate legislation. A m e n d menl XXV11 N o law, varying the compensation for the service of the senators and representatives shall take effect, until an election of representatives shall have intervened.
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Appendix D : Registering to Vote-
Lhange the systerrd Obey jnst laws, change unjust unesi The power is yours! If y o u are a US citizen eighteen years of age or older, you have a part in the decision making processes of the United States. Although thousands, fought for tlie right to vote at that age. many young people chose not to vote, feeiing that they can " d o nothing" about the problems out there. Environmentalisnl. Religious Unity and respect, personal freedom and all of the Rights y o u h o l d dear depend on the vote of each and every person. Religious persecution of Wirrans in the United Stales is a very real phenomenon, w i t h people such as Bob Barr attempting to remove our right to serve in Ihe A r m e d Forces- Such legislation was shot d o w n but only because of the many people w h o voted rational persons into office- C a l l your local board of registrations, or 1-8011-FOR V O T E for more information on where and h o w to vole, it's easier than y o u think.
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A p p e n d i x E: The Principles of Wiccan Belief
The Principles of Wiccan Belie! were set d o w n in 1974 by a group called "The Council o l American Witches" at a meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The statement, w h i c h has far outlived (he group, has been reprinted in almost every major book o n A m e r i c a n Wicca. "The Council of American Witches finds it necessary to deline m o d e m Witchcraft in terms of American experience and needs. We are not bound bv Traditions from other times and other cultures, and owe no allegiance to any person or power greater than the D i v i n i t y manifest t h o u g h our Own being. A s American Witches, we welcome and respect all life-affirming teachings and traditions, and seek to learn from all and to share our learning w i t h i n our Council. 31 is in this spirit o l welcome and cooperation that w e adopt these tew principles o l Wiccan belief. In seeking to be inclusive, w e do not w i s h to open ourselves to the destruction of our group by those o n selfserving power trips, or to ph ilosopbies an d practices contradictory lo these principles. In seeking to exclude those whose ways are contradictory to ours, w e do not want to deny participation with us to any w h o are sincerely interested in our knowledge and beliefs, regardless of race, color, sex, age, national or cultural origins, or sexual preference.
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Wo therefore ask. only thai those w h o seek to identify w i t h us accept these few basic principles: L We practice rites to attune ourselves w i t h the natural rhythm of lite forces marked by the phases of the M o o n and the seasonal quarters and cross-quarters2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment We seek to live i n harmony w i t h Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to lite and consciousness w i t h i n an evolutionary concept. 3-We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than is apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary, it is sometimes called "supernatural," b u l w e see it as l y i n g within that which is naturally potential to all. 4. We conceive o l the Creative Power in the Universe as manifesting through polarity—as masculine and fern in ine—and that this same creative Power lives in all people, and functions through the Interaction of the masculine and feminine- We value neither above Ihe other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sexuality as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of Life, and as one of the sources of energies used in Magickal practice and religious worship. 5. We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological worldssometimes known as the Spiritual W o r l d , *he Collective Unconscious, the Inner Planes, etc.—and w e sec in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomenon and Magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the- other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment. d. We do not recognise anv aothoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those w h o teach, respect those w h o share their greater knowledge and wisd o m , and acknowledge Ihose w h o have courageously given of themselves in leadership. 7- We see religion. Magick, and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and live w i t h i n it—a w o r l d view and a philosophy of life, w h i c h w e identify as Witchcraft or the Wiccan Way
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S. Calling oneself " W i t c h " does noE make- A Witch—bot neither does heredity itself, or the collecting o l titles, degrees, and Initiations. A Witch seeks lo control the forces w i t h i n him/herself thai make life possible in order to live wisely and well, without harm to others, and in harmony w i t h Nature, 9. We acknowledge thai it is the- attirmatinii and fulfillment of life, in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe w e know, and to our personal role w i t h i n it. 10. O u r only animosity tnward Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy-of'life, is to the extent thai its institutions have claimed l o be "the one true right and o n l y w a y " and have sought to deny freedom to Others and to suppress other ways of religious practices and belief. 11. A s American Witches, w e are not threatened by debates on the history oi the Cralt, the origins of various terms, ihe legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions-We are concerned with our present, and our future. 12. We do not accepi the concept of "absolute e v i l , " nor do we worship any entity k n o w n as "Satan" or "the D e v i l " as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do w e accept the concept that personal benefits can only be derived by denial to another. 13. We work w i t h i n Nature for that w h i c h is contributory to our health and well-being.
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A p p e n d i x F: The Full Charter and Rules of Religion: Other, The N e w York Pagan Alliance.
Religion: Other was the first organization I rarira collection of Pagans from various traditions in tht Central Wew York A r e a . W h i l e n o w defunct, in part because m y o w n move from N e w York State made the group fall apart, Religion: Other's charter has long stood as the prototype other groups have used for their o w n charter or bylaws, and was a strong part o l the creation o l official b y l a w s for the Church of U E W . It is presented here as an example of a faith-based charter for historical and research purposes. R e l i g i o m O t h e r Code of ethics and charter ReligionOlher. A n Alliance of Alternative Religion. Is an organization designed to fit the special needs of Wiccans, D r u i d s , and other Pagans i n an increasingly hostile world. We are n u t by a democratic council of Pagans w h o strive to keep our rules just and protective, while being as unrestrictive as possible. O u r organization encompasses both i n d i v i d uals and groups, and does not endorse a n y particular thought or religious belief other than the sanctity of our religious freedomR e l i g i o n O l h e r has four m a i n purposes, the first being the legal protection of Pagans and Paganism and continuing defense of our First Amendment Rights, the second being the protection of Pagans and
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NQO-PagariS fnun dangerOUfi or fraudulent educators or iiergy Hie third being the education of the N o n - P a g a n community as to w h a l Paganism is and w h a l pagans do, and our fourth, and most important reason for existing, easy accessible and safe education for both secular Pagans and would be clergyW h i l e we do not promote one view of Paganism, all groups and educators represented and endorsed by us must follow a basic set nf rules and code of ethics, or risk losing all protection, representation and student access-Individuals an? encouraged to report infractions and complaints to us, if these complaints are f o u n d to be truthful after investigation. ReligioniOther will lake action against the individual or organization, included, but not limited to, involving the pulice or filing a class action. These rules/Fthics are: r
ffl: A l l groups represented by R O n t u s l f o l l o w the Wiccan Rede: " A n it harm none, do as y o u w i l l , " whether Wiccan or not- This includes not only physical harm to individual people, but "Brainwashing," body altering, and animal sacrifice. #2: N o group represented by R O may charge education fees, or any fees beyond supply fees ( supply fees include rent of a space to hold meetings, candles, food and books, but N O T advertising.) Likewise, no group represented by P O may designate a store or craflcr from w h o m supplies M U S T be bought. The sole exception to Ibis are groups belonging to larger, national or international organizations, these groups should charge the m i n i m u m possible to cover membership fees, or nothing if no fees e*is|.f A d d e n d urn to Article 2:4/1/94: C r o u p s charging fees and putting those fees visibly back into their roil' gionare hereby excluded from statement one of article 2 provided that exceptions are made for those unable to pay any said fees.t (AddendumJE, A r t i c l e ! , 1/1/95: Classes not relating directly to the religious practices have never been included under article 42) #3: A l l groups represented by f i O must exclude minors from religious activities unless the parent or guardian accompanies the minor or
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gives written consent for Lie miniH to attend. Ritual', at w h i c h people under the age of eighteen are present m a y not be performed "Skvclad."(Addendurn ti. article 3:1/1/95 Minors may attend Skyrlad rituals if the minor, the minor's parcnt(s) or guardian(s) and the entirety of the group give written consent. .-It is still not recommended-) 04. If the pries! or priestess of a group is under the age of eighteen, he or she must be supervised by a person of at least twenty-one years o l age. #5. If the leader of a group has say over the personal lives of his/her followers beyond the realm of advice, or should claim to be a messiah, reincarnation of a god or person, or s u p e r h u m a n and demand worship, R O w i l l N O T , under any circumstances, refer people to, protect, advertise or in any way endorse said g r o o p . lib. R O will not endorse or represent groups that demand that its members go Skyclad, demand oaths of fealty or obedience, or expert sexual favors from ils members. Including those groups that expect members to be involved with sexual rites lo "advance" within the circle. Likewise groups demanding self-or other-mutilation, {i.e.: tattoos, body piercing) or drug use, cannot be endorsed or represented. #7. Sexual rites m u s l be consented to by b o t h parties: a minor, under law, cannot give consent. Such rites m a y not be attended by minors, and any participation by anyone must be voluntary, without penalty for those w h o choose not lo attend. ffS. Represented groups m a y not discriminate o n A N Y BASIS, including sexual orientation, age {see tf3,) race, religion {those opposing an organization or educator's views in an obstructive or offensive manner should be asked to leave,) polibcal ideals, past religious history, or sex (unless the organization advertises as women only or m e n only, w i t h n o e-clusion of those w h o may have started life with another, no, or both genderfs).) 19. R O will represent only Pagan organizations as being non-(udeoChrislian, as such, n o organization basing its beliefs on a Christian Mythos, including Satanism, w i l l be represented, (addendum to Article 9-1/1/95: Pagan Christian organ i rations and Pagan Judeo
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organizations will be endorsed on a group by group basis if all other articles apply a n d ibe President, V P a n d Representative of said group's area agree upon said representation and endorsement) fflO (Amended 1/1/95) Those groups w h o s e purpose Is to convert, or who preach an " O n l y w a y " and do n o l e-tend basic respect to those whom they disagree w i t h will be excluded from RO's membership. We believe such actions to be contrary to The Wiccan Rede and thus Contrary to Article #1. Individual's rights w i t h i n R e l i g i o n d t h e n ffl: Your name, address and other information will not be revealed to A N Y O N E except R O slaff members. #2: If a referral is made by another group Or individual, that group or individual's name w i l l be included on your initial contact form. If y o u refer yourself to another or^-anization nr an instructor through us, w e w i l l call that organization or instructor and ask permission to give y o u their number to keep your own number pnvateLikewise. y o u may ask an instructor or i n d i v i d u a l to send mail t o R O , w e w i l l then place it in an plain envelope a n d send it to y o u . #4. If yoo make a complaint about someone P O endorses, it w i l l be investigated and acted upon while y o u remain anonymous. "5. If someone makes a complaint about y o u , you w i l l be informed of the complaint, but not the complaincr (until such lime as mediation occurs). Mb. i f asked. R O w i l l inform y o u of the number of eom.pl aints a n organization or educator has received, and the status of those complaints. A n y R O staff member breaking diesc rules w i l l be removed from d u t y {As signed by Kat M a c M o r g a n and witnessed by Carol Douglas, o n 3 January 1994, excluding addend urns dated later than said date.) Rules of representation^Affective 1/1/96) The Council shall be composed of The President. The Vice President, the Representative of each area. Leaders of Covens/Groves/groups
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numbering over 35 and "Welcomed" elders, those being Priests, teachers, and others of any age invited to j o i n bv a majority vote, ff, for some reason, a Council member has n severe objection lo the inclusion of an "elder" he/she has rights of refusal provided "just cause" can be shown. Just Cause includes breaking of, or inability to uphold Ihe Charter. Members of one group, Organization or tradition M A Y N O T make up more than 1/4 of the C o u n c i l . A n additional representative from each stale may be included until such lime as R O goes National. The President and Vice President may not hold office in any other organizations beyond their o w n coven or tradition if thai office w o u l d cause their decisions lo be affecled or swayed by the hierarchy of another group- The President of the organization shall be the person w h o does the work, such as calling and forming Ihe Council, and shall be replaced by a person elected bv the council if at any time (s)he cannot perform his/her doHes effectively- The replacement must have M f c A N S to keep ihe organization going and spend at icasl 10 hours a week working for P O , The Vice President is elected every year emd a day by council vole. Every Member of the Council has equal voting and veto power. The council must meet once a year, but votes must be conducted by Ihe President w h e n needed, either by mail, e-mail, telephone or meeting. The Newsletter is separate from the C o u n c i l , and does not affect and is not affected by the council. Area Representatives are those w l w choose to be RO's contact person for an area extending no more than 54 square miles and no less than 10, (UPSTATE) or representing lUU toSOt) people(downstateJthis person must make themselves publicly accessible, initial Representatives, {those o n the 1st council) can choose lo become representatives i l they know at least 10 people and are w i l l i n g to distribute flyers and make themselves accessible...the voting rules for Representatives are up to that area...each council, or group in an area is encouraged l o c o m e up With their o w n method of election.
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Appendix G : Two Versions of The Charge of The Goddess and one of The G o d :
T he C h a r g e o f T he G o d d e s s : This m o d e m version was wrilten by Kat M a r M o r g a n and Lady Martia o l Bell Coven. If is a very Good eclectic version of fhc Charge, saying many of the same things as more siandaird versions fSuch as those based o n Leiand's Aradia) i n plain " A m e r i c a n " English, with much of the tradition specific material removed. Fox many people, memorizing the words of a Charge is more important than what the words say. Just as schools long since abandoned role leaching because it was soon forgotten, y o u should read whaf is said-the intenfion-nol "the words": Behold' iam she who is the great Mother-forcnmto all who ivorshlp me by names both spoken and unspoken. I am she who brings loVe. and IVHrmth. Uiut the breath of Life. Breathe deep and be holy. Bring to me i f i w r troubles, \/oiir desires. Assemble before roliere a'ut arlu-n vou may, better .'till befote the full moon, bringing looe. light and a desire to do good, for I am I lie Mother of AH. and shall turn none wtio has need of me away.
SV5
3flA
A l l Oac Witcs
Gııle upon 1IK iruton and you gale upon my face, for I am the Bringer of light. the keeper ofjustice, the catalysi of the cycles and she who is vengeance. Knmr me h\> the face i f n j j show me. far as you JUT to me. I shali he to you. Strive, for you are vested with the powers of infinite growth. Be free, for ail enslaved need merely look upon me, hold out a hand and be unhindered. Harm none-for all Is your brother, all Is your sisler. Think, and know the purpose of each creature and plant. Destroy nuthing in service to me. Create to honor me! You You You You you.
wire Imve need of inner peace, find it reflected within. ;<-lio lane need of outer strength, find it in my service. who have need of healing, if it is needed, ii shall come. who have, need of forgiveness, find it first within and then shall laid
You who has fear, look upon the light if the moon and know you are never alone. You who have been harmed, look upon me and know that vengeance shall be thrice the barm you haiv rccciitd. For great and eternal is myiove.and greater that for my children who have looked into my face. As 1 zoos in the beginning, sluıll 1 be in the end. aiui none of my children need fear death, for when time is come, it is to my bosom you are clasped, that your heart beat with mine, clothed in love. There are several major differences between this and the common versions. " A n d to show ye are truly Iree j f slavery, ye shall be naked i n ifry rights" (From a traditionalist version,) lias been removed- When it was written, by trad i linna I ists, translated from a word that, in A r a d i a , speaks more of not b i d i n g anything than tromping around nude.this was fine. T attend most rights clothed, never has She denied me. The Goddess loves unconditionally, and She can sec thniugb clothing, we interpret " n a k e d " as free Irom "masks" the Goddess is shown your True Self. A l s u statements w h i c h we have perceived as " d e m a n d i n g , " namely you must and y o u shali type statements. O u r Goddess demands nothing"! She encourages us toward Ireedom. and
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tells US, that whfin we İ,ı 11 .she shall lilt us up Arid brush us n i l . O u r les sons, we are lold. are ours lo learn. T h e C h a r g e o f T he M o o n C o d d e s s : This is often used in conjunction with the above pieceBclwld, lam she. who sliincs above. Selene, Luna, Moon. Hiring light and love in ail who attend. Attend my words, for they are the words of eider and youth, the rıurıi.ı fornu-d on the very breath with which the first mother kis&d her child. Listen, and be one. "Harm noruo / liaz<e ioid you. and well uau fiaoe done in holding bo it, but i cl/arge you further to Harm not. not yourself, nor the air. nor thatwhichyou can live without harming. Behold. Irfow the all mother alt things are equal, and all thing* ban purjvsc. K n i r n luirm. JEFIUTJ.- purpose. Whi/cut down a tree token you could tread on I he grass, wliy tread on the grass when you could walk on the sand? Whu pick the finest apple an Hie branch when fresh wind fall Is delivered into your lap? 1
For I am the mother of ah- site wlto breathes purpose into each creature's mouth as they arc born. Behold, lam the breath of life, and i can be lh-- agent of death, for purpose is two sided, and those thai destroy in ihe wme of cre ation sliatl be punisheil as they punish. I am Site who is the hand of death, wul I lake from the dying their purpose thai tl/ey pass within unbound \n!o Ihe realms ofsluidow. I am the tight within Shadow. Respect those that went before bul do not try lo remake the past. All is a cycle, and we are within the infancy of the gzreat life thai is the life of the Wicca. Thousands of years will pasa. Wicea will groi\' am! cliange and falter and stumble, bul the last breath Is Ihe first breath, and at its darkesi moment Wieca witl be born aneio once more. Growr I charge you, d o not age behind walls against the w o r l d , y o u are ihe children o l the M o o n , Shine! Learn! Icliarge vou. do not sit on what jou know In ihe hope* that it will Stalch like an egg- Reap, bul sow and reap agahı. Create!
3flfl
A l l Oac W k ç j
Lmv! As I ton-, without secrets or threats, do what is right, for no loue is ei'it. Do no evil in love, and hue all as you Soxyourself, fo' we do not hamt whai we trulu los"- sore when harm is unstoppable. Harm none! Be! Lei the siiackles Jail, you are free and you can do aSti As the being grows, so the WrM shines! As you learn, so your Will crates, as you love, uour Wilt cannot harm. As uou Be. so uou Are! I am you, we are one, your brealh carries toe same purpose as mine, if hid den to uou! Breathe a'ui know lluit ccaiion is yoursl lave ail, Know purpose and Harm none. Live lifefid! of uionder. joy, and know llial light la always there, even if hid den within the shadows.
The (h,i
of Ihe God:
This somewhat unusual thing comes from Wolf M o o n Wicca, Ihe A l l Male Trail I've spoken of, and in prinieil here ivibh Ihe express con sent of lis author. We've used tliis in a lew riles quite successfully, and İhiü iü a very inapi rational piece of w r i t i n g . I am The Father. The Sun. the God of the rVhca, hear mp uvrds thai \jou may grow. Blessed ureal!, antl ghvn freeilom. be assured that none who N I T irue diall befetSered, thai none who cause no harm shall be harmed saw those harms done winch leach. I am ihe Teacher of all, seek within me and uou shall find all uou seek. Know mcin the Bogie and ihe Antelope, if you desire lo soar, the lesson may be sought from the Creatures of the wing, if you wish to seek, unlets the hunter, if you wish to Slide, watch tltc iackrabbit and ihe fawn. Learn from what you haoe been gizen and the lessons witl be learned swiftly and never need reieachlng. lam yourfather, what need have I of proof of loyalty, merely being here and hearing this tells me tl/at uou are of the true. Great indeed isyourlavel Take my hand, walk through Ihe forests and cities, look within and without and i i J j u J f J i r rni-sded. Yiliat uou ask shall be yours.
Appendix H : Internet Resource G u i d e
A l l of these resources have b e e n screened for excellent and accurate content. There Is no assurance thai these links w i l l still be operational, but most have existed for quite a while a n d are expected to last a while. There are literally thousands of Wiccan links out there, so this brief list is hardly a comprehensive one, Bv Kaatryn M a c M o r g a n : A l l One Wicca.: Interne! Edition-http:/ /biMik.cuew.org Cliureh of Universal Eclectic Wicca Homepage-http://www.cuew.org Coven of The Far Flung Net-http://coven-cuew.org TJEW Pages a n d the h o m e p a g e s o f L ' E W C o v e n s a n d P e o p l e : Bell Tower C o v e n of Wicca-bttp://btcw.hnmeslead.com/ Golden Pentagram Webrlrtg: / / w w w . r i ngsu rf.com / netri ng?H ng=gold pent;actiou=infu H o l l i s ' Hearthhttp: / / www.geocities.com/ Athens/Marb le/4889/i ndex. html Melissa's BlesscdBec.net'http; / /ww w.blessedbee.net/ Trad Profile@Witchvcmhttp: / / w w w.wi tchvox .com / trads / trad_uew.htm I Tessa M a r c h a n d s "Complete Kat M a c M o r g a n L i n k s " '
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b l i p : / / h u m e . t a l k c i i v . L o m/ G a i a W a y / h i d y l a a t / i n d e x , W y r m s i a t
h i m ]
& A b o d e - h i l p : / / w w ^ a r i g e l F i t e . c c i m . / rant / i n g w i t c h /
Wicca i n general: T h e
R a n l i n g
T h e
W i t c h e s '
W i i c h e s - h tip: / / rw. Faithweb
r i m
/
V o i c e - l i t t p : / / i v w w . w i i c h v i f t . c o m /
A p p e n d i x I: 50 Basic Concepts a U E W Wiccan Learns in the First and Second Circles.
This is a shortened version of the U E W basic syllabus followed by most teachers. This book, has touched, in part, on all of these points, and more Information o n them can be found on the Internet. If you'd like, yon may use Ihis lisl as a guideline for your own learning. If y o u feel y o u d i d not get enough information here to understand a point, try looking for more information on the nef with the resource guide. r
1. The Affirmation of Acknowledgement 2. The Eive Points of Wiccan Belief 3. The Wiccan Rede Vs. The Rede of the Wirrae 4. W h y the Wiccan K c d e d o c s not mean "harm none." 5. The History of Wicca, a M o d e m Faith. u. Wicca is not Reeonstructionist (or Celtic). 7. M y t h s about Wicca Spread by Some Wiccans and w h y fl.Myths about Wicca spread by non-Wiccans and why. 9. Wicca compared to Abrahamic religions. 1 n.Wicca compared to Reeonstructionist Religions11. Monotheism. Polytheism. Henotheisjn 12. Pantheons 13. Respecting the Cultural rites of others while remaining Eclectic.
A l l Oac W k c a
3t2
14. 15. 16. 17.
Basic Ethics Visualization and Meditation Prayer and dedication Spiritual Regimens
lik The difference between Dogma and Doctrine. 19 ' Casting 'aeirelc. 20. H u b r i s , in others and ourselves21. Symbols of M o d e m Wicca and their historical usage. 22. Wicca and Science. 23. Rabonalify in the face o l fantasy. 24. Tlte Metaphorie History of Wicca 25. The svmbolism of the Full M o o n and the various atlributes given the moon in different Cultures. 26. Angels: Christian constructs. Their appeal, and w h y most Wiccans reject them27. W h y responsible Wiccans do not teach minors without consent 28. The 3 common Wiccan H o l i d a y s 29. Additional Wiccan Holidays 30. Riles of Passage 31. Death: Various beliefs w i t h i n Wicca and other faiths. 32. The L a w o l Return and Chaos Theory 33. The Lessons of Evolulion 34. Mystery rites: Historic and Modern 35-Dedication V s Initiation and w h y "seli-inilialion" is an Oxymoron36. The Homeric HyiUri to DeTneter: A n example of the founding myth of a mystery. 37: The heroic journey and its transport into Wicca 35. M a g i c as inlentional action 39. Situational ethics 40. The historv of U E W as a tradition J
,
,
_r
41. The terminology o l comparative theology 42. Wicca observed as reactionary feminism 43. Lxtreme bx-Christianity as a dangerous movement within some Wicca
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44. Historic DatlgerOUS Culls: W h y Wicca is riot one ,ınd h o w hi keep i i thai ivay. 45. Incorporating Wicca inlo every day. 46. The palhs of ihe T h i r d Circle 47. W h a l is Ordination? 45. The difference between ignorance and harassment 49. You legal rights asa citizen of your country 50. Actual persecution of Wiccans in Ihe United Stales (case studies: Bob Barr, Jesse Helms, etc.t
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Bibliography
Adler, Margot Draloing Doleii tht Moon; Witches, Druitls, Goddess Worshippers and Other Pagans in America Today.\^79 Boston: Beacon Press, 19Bti(Revised a n d Expanded Edition} (Skip the section o n A s a l r u , however) American Heritage DictianaryiRefercnce R O M ) Cambridge: Soltkey, 1995
Tool for
Windows. ( C D '
Buckland, Raymond Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft. 1975 St Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 199:1 Campanelli, Pauline Illus: Dan Campanelli, Wheel of the Vear: Living the Magrckal Lift: St Paul: L l e w e l l y n Publications, 1989 Cruwley, Aleisler Magick: in Theory and Practice. Castle Books, 1991
(reprint)Secaucus:
Cunningham. Scott Living Wicta: A Further Guide for the Solitary P r a h t i o n e r S t P a u L L l e w e l l y n Publications, 1993 . Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Praciitiontr. St. Paul: L l e w e l l y n Publications, 19BÜ Delphian Text (15 vol.) Chicago: The Delphian Society. 192S Duilwich, Ccritla Wicca Cr
391.
M\
Oac
WICCH
Fezler, W i l l i a m , imagery far Healing, Kno wledge ami Ptnccr: HaW la Cremte Maximum Health, Peak Performance, and Actualize your Dreams. N e w York: Fireside, 199tl Gardner, Gerald Tfcr Meaning of Witchcraft.^ C h i l d e PiibHflhing, 1991 —. Witchcraft 1991
N e w York: Magirkal
Today. 1954 N e w York: Magiekal C h i l d e Publishing,
Goodenough, E r w i n P. The Psychology of Religious Experiences. N e w York: Basle Books, 1965 May. Rollo Lave and Will. N e w York: W W . Norton, 1969 Miller, Ronald S. a n d Ihe Fditors of N e w Age Journal, As Above, $a Beloto: Paths to Spiritual Renewal in Daily Life. N o w York: G . P Putnam's Sons.1992 Murray. Margaret A . The Witch-Cutt in Western Europe. 1921 L o n d o n : Oxford Paperback edition, 1967. Tire Nein Gralier Crolier, 1993
Multimedia
Encyclopedia:
Release 0- ( C D - R O M )
O ' Gaea. Ashleen Tire Family Wicca B o o t ; Tire Craft for Parents and Children. Si. Paul: L l e w e l l y n Publications. 1993 Reinach, Salomon. Orphans: A History of Religions. 1930 Trans. Florence Simmons. Ill us: William Siegal N e w York; Liveright Publishing. 1942 Rinzler, Carol A n n The Complete Bank af Herbs, Spieces and Condiments: From Garden To Kitchen to Medicine Chat. N e w York: Henry H o l l , 1990
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Starhawk, The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess. San brancisco: Harper.1979 Webster's Now World Dictionary of The American Language: Coilege Edition. 1953 Cleveland & N e w York: The WoM Publishing Company, 1957 Unfortunately, much of the information 1 gathered came (mm penpie, not hooks. While this is great for me. it makes it difficult for readers w h o want to learn more. The following people/groups were particularly helpful: M y wife. Phoenix and our beautiful son. A m y and N i k i S-,Ocean, Peace arid their parents, w h o are real killer SUlfelS, dude. Everyone at the following covens: Silver Chalice. Wolf M o o n , N e w Tara, Black Water fall three inramatiiins], M a r M u r g a n Covenstead, Par Flung Net and the like. The Marchand family; " A u n t " Sarah M o r g a n and the other M o r g a n Fam-Trad ladies (I hope w e are related by more than n a m * . Sar.) The real L a Grace Familv- The MacLeod brothers (Who aren't immortal) and Elaine- Lady Jayne, w h o rejected "Tomasian Wicca." as the name of our trad, her brother, Logan (I Im? Same name as m y son...must t e a coincidence.), D a v i d M . The gang of Witches in Salem on Samhain, 1992 (..-remember w h e n they threatened to arrest u s . . . i n Salem...on Samhain? M u s t ' v e boon the Ewe.) That includes everyone looking for the " w a r m , empty, o p e n " D O N U T C H A I N and chanting "Christians and Catholics and Tews, o h m y ! " Eric and (en Bunce and all the other friends misplaced since I last played h u m a n nn so Phoenix rould park the Pagan mobile in front of the Essex so my poor arthritic knees w o u l d have some peace.
